Blood Irons
by Aradellia
Summary: Shepard has always been known to escape Mindoir thanks to the Alliance, but what if she hadn't been so fortunate and was taken from Mindoir and pulled into the deadly horrors of the batarian slave trade? What would become of our hero as she enters the stage as a slave? This is the story of a Shepard trapped in irons, and her journey from slave to experiment.
1. The mark of the biotic slave

**This is going to be a very experimental fanfiction, and a controversial one. I wanted to explore the possibilities of if Shepard never got saved from Mindoir by a passing Alliance scouting group, and was instead taken by the slavers. I wanted to give my own dark interpretation of the inner workings of the batarian slave trade.**

 **With that said, I give everyone this warning now.** This fanfiction includes graphic violence and gore in the future, abuse, sexism, minors involved in sexual acts, sexual assault and abuse, and mentions and instances of rape.

 **This is the censored version of Blood Irons, meaning all graphic sex scenes, and the worst of the gorey moments will be absent from this version. If you wish to read it uncensored, it can be found at this link on AO3:**

 **/works/7444825**

* * *

Her head hurt, and she knew that trying to help herself would result in more pain. Using her biotics would result in death. Using her voice without being spoke to first and ordered to answer would result in pain and punishment. Trying to move into a better position or place would result in punishment. If she remained a good girl, a doll for them to play with, she would be rewarded.

Eventually.

How did she get here again, among the screams for freedom and pain, chained to the inside of a cage, a dog crate, among the woman pulled into a cruel world of slavery, and abuse? How in everything great did she end up as another human whisked into the batarian's horrible slave trade as nothing more then a pretty face someone could hurt and command and mark as theirs?

She remembered vague, but large details. The screams of her friends and family in the markets as the batarians came down in droves, barely hesitating in beignning to kill every one they didn't deem good human meat for the slave trade, or good bodies to fuck into mindless fuck bags. Using horrible tech to take control of helpless colonists as they decimated her home, her planet. Family, friends, neighbors fell to the wild spray of bullets as people were slaughtered around her, a man's chest bursting into bloody chunks as he died violently behind her. A few woman vomited in disgust before being dragged away. Her friend, Vera, executed a few feet from her with a shotgun. Grey brain matter covered her legs as she watched her friend's head come clean off in a terrifying spray of bone and brains and blood. She remembered running, barely breathing through the fields, fleeing the few who came after her.

Fire. Horrible fires, the smell of burning flesh. Her sister dying before her as batarians beheaded her for being difficult. Her dead parents. The clink of dog tags in her hands, the beautiful blue of biotics fluttering around her as she defended herself, shooting wildly, trying to stay safe. Pain splintering from her legs, the painful crack of a gun against her temple.

Their praise of her power and beauty. The heavy and neverending ring of her cuffs coming together around her wrists as they dragged her from her burning home, the bodies of her dead family bleeding out in their garden.

Slavers had attacked and ripped apart Mindoir, pillaged their homes and lives, burned down their colony, kidnapped and stole children and woman, slaughtered all they could, raped the few who fought back in their cages, and left the colony burning as they got away without a shot taken at them by the Alliance.

She was a slave. A woman prize taken by batarians. She had struggled, she had fought back, and always wondered why she wasn't killed on the spot. She never would get an answer, but she was smart enough to think it was because of her biotics. She would sell for top dollar, especially with her high tech implant, and her raw but immense power. Even with the burned on mark in the middle of her back, the symbol of the batarian slaver ring that owned her, would not deter potential from buying her.

She kept her eyes down, knowing that the masters didn't like their slaves looking at them. She was a quick learner, but this was a lesson that took beatings to put into her. Beatings, lashes...

Assault.

Her hair had been cut instead of shaved, probably to show off her implant, to keep some of her appeal in her looks, the extremely short haircut making her look more silly then sexy but the batarians didn't care in the slightest. As long as she was controlled, and behaved, and followed rules, she was a good girl. She would be a good girl. Batarians of all shapes and colors walked past her cage, past the other cages and girls whimpering, but never crying. Screams would follow tears and cries. The masters didn't like the girls crying. They were making sure all their precious slaves were good girls, the control chips being passed around like drugs on the streets of Earth, or at least she assumed like they were. She had one too, if she was correct, but she wouldn't know at that instance. There wasn't a point in thinking about it, but she confirmed quietly she didn't, sneaking a gentle touch to the back of her head.

More cries, and more haunting screams of girls behind hurt because of their emotions. She would keep it together for them, follow their code to the dot. She would be the good slave girl for the batarians.

As much as she was terrified to be touched and assaulted by them, a young sixteen year old teen. She bore wounds in many places, some already becoming scars, bitter ones that made her ache and want to cry. She had to keep it together. She had to survive, she had to live through this somehow.

Her cage opened, her eyes glued to the blood stained steel beneath her knees. Sweaty hands grabbed her shoulders, demanding her to come out. She crawled out as they pulled her violently forward, coming out awkwardly onto the ground, pulled up onto her feet, her wrists threatening to crack at their violence. She did not look at them, stood with her bound hands before her. She shivered as the taller males circled her, lifting her chin so they could look at her face. She looked the batarian before her in the eyes as they looked for her, haunted but bright grey eyes looking into his hauntingly dark ones.

"Pretty eyes for a slave." he admitted, "She's still all there as well. Impressive willpower for a young little slave girl."

"Brought in from the Mindoir raid a month ago, sir," the other batarian beside her commented, "Surprisingly willing now. She was a feisty one when we got her, throwing biotic attacks at us. She's a powerful little bitch, but she knows her place."

"A biotic? How special." the older male purred, making her shake in fear. He could feel it and chuckled, "This girl may be willing, but put her in real chains and let us have our way with her, she'll squeal and cry like we want her to. Though, breaking this one would waste a great number of things for this little whelp."

She kept as still as she could despite shaking in fear, faced with the reality before her, outside of her safe cage. She would be appraised, abused, used, sold, and repeat the scarring steps. The batarian rounded her, poking and touching her nude skin, looking for marks or anything special. He paused behind her, running a finger down her spine, down the middle of her slave mark, drawing a long shiver. He chuckled coldly, groping her behind. She froze, drawing his attention to her reaction.

"Is she pure?"

The other batarian grinned wickedly, forcing her to bite her lip in fear of making a noise. "We don't know yet, Halek. Are you offering the credits to be the first taste tester?"

The man named Halek continued his circle, his hands running down her left shoulder and arm, her chin curled down just a smudge, her action rendered fruitless as he lifted her chin gently. Something suddenly shined in his eyes as he met hers. Was it hope? Warmth? It was a different emotion then the others flashed her coldly. It was just the little spark of possible hope she wished for, and held it close even if it was a farce. She was going to be loaned out regardless, and had to get her heart and mind ready for the implications of what was going to happen to her.

"How much is the price for first taste?"

"Good man!" her seller cheered, pulling out a datapad. She lowered her eyes again. "It'll be ten thousand credits to do it simply in one of the available rooms, or if you'd prefer, a fifty thousand credit charge to take your prize privately."

"Eyes up, whelp."

The words were surprisingly gentle. She couldn't tell if he realized screaming would do nothing or if he was being nice. Her eyes came back up to him, that same oddly warm but strangely gentle look was back in his eyes. She did not speak, or move any more then needed to look upon her first 'taker'. She memorized this batarian's face, this so called Halek man. She would remember him forever, immortalize his face and his words, the whisper of kindness before he truly showed his black soul. She would never forget her first loaner. His copper skin, those hauntingly kind dark eyes. A batarian in the depths of the horrendous batarian slaver trade going by the name Halek.

The one to rape her.

"She'll be worth the fifty thousand."

Her seller, her master, couldn't have grinned more.

"We'll get her ready for you. Credit chit first, Halek, if you could."

She pulled her eyes back down as she was moved once more along the long path lined with cages and batarian guards as the exchange for her dignity, her last moments untouched by cruel hands slipped away on a transaction of credits. She kept her head fixed, her eyes down, following the rules now that she was being whored out for the first time. She had heard horrible stories about the girls who went through this process as a slave. A heavy metal door opened, and she was shoved inside, slammed to her knees. She slowly started to get up before more hands took her, dragging her across the floor and to a bloodied platform. She couldn't imagine what had happened in this room, the faint scent of piss and blood lingering. Her cuffs were taken off, her scarring wrists taking the comfort as brief as it was until she was put into wrought irons.

And raised up like a pig on a meat hook.

She was raised a few inches up, her toes still on the ground, facing the door. She could only think of her position similar to how the supposed son of God had been on the cross. She was being displayed for her buyer, like a cheap decoration to be ripped apart for fun. The men who had positioned her touched and prodded, despite the risks of their actions. Hands took hold of her breasts, the bruises on her ribs being hit as his clumsy hands slid around. She dared not say a word as they touched and groped her, refusing to give them the satisfaction. She knew her face would show that effort and at it they howled in laughter before leaving in the cold, dark torture chamber. Darkness surrounded her despite the few lanterns flickering around the tables lining the walls.

The door opened once more, bathing her suspended body in light for the new arrival. She did not look up to see if it was Halek, or simply another master. She was meat to be bitten into, devoured until nothing but the shattered bones remained. She was a slave; a pretty face to be sold to the best bidder. The heavy door closed, sealing her fate with it. She steadied her breath.

"They don't have cameras in these rooms. This is why I paid extra, you know." Halek's voice broke through the darkness.

No cameras, meaning her masters would not know if she broke the rules. She hesitated in raising her eyes, or her voice.

"I don't care for their rules, and here you are safe from their attacks. Speak your mind, girl."

"...Are you going to waste the credits by speaking to me the entire time you have me?"

The batarian scoffed, and she finally raised her eyes to meet his again. They were still the same oddly gentle eyes.

"I have no real interest in raping you, human."

Her surprise showed, and he had to grin a little as she sputtered on her words, struggling just a little in her chains to try to look forward at the batarian who wouldn't be a batarian in this instance. She whimpered at the wrought irons dug into the wounds on her wrists.

"Y-you just wasted fifty thousand credits then... to just stare and talk with me?" she asked.

"I'm saving you from an even worse fate at the hands of these stains on our people. I would have bought you outright, but they want you softened up for when they put you on the market. The only thing I could do was buy a time with you."

"So... w-what are you going to do to me?"

Halek approached quietly, keeping his eyes on her face and not on her body. She shook in fear as he approached, unable to stop the fear instilled in her through the beatings, the chains, the countless abuse in its many shades. Her chains clanged as she gently wiggled, biting her bottom lip until she bit deep into the flesh, blood dripping down her chin.

"I'm going to help you. The main slave driver takes every girl who aren't bought for their bodies before they're sold. They come out of his rooms broken and empty and worthless, unless someone enjoys raping their woman until they die from the wounds inside her body, left by the main slave driver. I'm ensuring you don't have that same fate."

She shook, realizing what his words implied. "S-So you're going to..."

"I told you already," he snapped firmly, "I have no intention to rape you. We're going to fake it, however, there is one thing I will have to do to make it look like I did."

He went for the bag he had brought in, making her squirm as he pulled out a phallic object. She whimpered in fear, and he immediately looked to her with his gentle eyes, setting the bag on the platform she tiptoed on. He held it up for her to see, despite the fearful shaking and her whimpers, her eyes beginning to close.

"It's not what you wish, but if you come out of this dungeon without a mark on you, or blood, they'll make sure you have it on you. We're going to stage this, so I need to make it genuine-looking."

She took a shuddering breath, steadying herself as she pushed her fear back for a moment. "So... you're going to make it look like you raped me... by using a toy on me and other things?"

"Its the only way. I'm sorry. I realize you'd never consent to something like this, but it'll save you trouble elsewhere if it's done."

She sighed and closed her eyes, tightening her fists as tears slipped down her face. She would be raped but not violently, though it would save her from future horrors, at least in theory. She sobbed softly, shaking her head before looking up to the ceiling. She took a shuddering breath before looking to Halek. She had to face the music of this dark play, and it called for her defilement. She thanked the air at least her 'first time' would be with a human sympathizer.

"J-just get it done, please. I don't want to be in these chains anymore, please."

Halek nodded gently. "I will try to be gentle, but I may have to get rough to make things look real, alright miss...?"

She had to think, so used to simply being called 'that biotic bitch'. She took a breath as he spread her legs, their plan to help her escape ruinous sexual assault ready to begin. She shivered as the plain toy pressed against her inner thigh. He was trying to get her used to its feeling without diving in first. For a batarian, unlike his brethren beyond the door, he was gentle and considerate, his rough palms trying to calm her shivering and shaking. She wouldn't ever stop, but it would help her just enough for what was to come. The head of the plastic toy poked between her between her thighs at her entrance, and she flinched. She had to get the words out before they were lost to the pain.

"S-Shepard... Katherine Shepard."

"Miss Shepard. I'm Halek Var'harren."

"A-as much as this is the worst time for introductions," she chuckled, sniffling as her tears fell once more, "It's nice to m-meet you, Halek."

"The feeling is mutual. Perhaps if I can gather the needed credits, I can get you out of here, but for now... forgive my next actions, Shepard. Take a deep breath."

* * *

"W-what are you doing?" she questioned as he knelt down, pushing her right thigh out farther to see it.

"Adding to the illusion. If one of those men had taken you, it would have been a much more bloody event. I'll have to add claw marks, so some pain is still needed but otherwise it is over. Do not worry about your shaking, little biotic girl. It'll help you."

This was the part where she simply hung there from her chains, an act she could do. Pain struck her limbs and her heart, coping with the act just committed against her body for her safety. She knew it would help, that it would save her, and now she had to play the part of the abused, raped slave. She let herself whimper in pain, let her voice be heard as Halek dripped blood down her thighs, moving behind her to grip at her hips, digging his fingers into her skin. She yelped and cried, her legs trying to thrash and kick. As blood trickled down her sides, his kind hands soothed her irritated and pain-filled muscles. Just a little more, and she would be out of the chains, back in her cage, and out of Halek's hands forever. She looked like she had been viciously beaten, her bruises from earlier making it seem more real.

"There we go. That should keep them sated." Halek announced. She gave a weak smile, shaking still in fear, in pain, and in hope.

"Thank you..."

"Goodbye, little biotic girl."

She bowed her head once again, letting her tears run as he left, boasting to the guards just outside of what he had just done. She knew his words were false, the cover he would throw over their eyes to make their fake sexual encounter look as real as any other. Two batarians came for her a few minutes after, lowering her to her feet, before she fell to her knees. Dragged up and out of the room, she was taken not to her cage but to a smaller room, with a few stalls to the left, showerheads scattering the wet tiled floors.

A bathroom.

"Clean yourself up. Blood and semen smells like shit."

She nodded gently, cooperating with them as she was set under one showerhead, shrieking in surprise as hot water hit her head, soothing her hard muscles. She sighed gently, ignoring the batarian's eyes as she washed herself of the blood, and dirt and grime she had accumulated in the past month. It felt like a dream, and it was a great relief. She didn't get too long under the wonderful spray of water as she was lifted from its kind touch, and handed a surprisingly nice towel and told to dry off. She did as ordered of course, towel drying her hair as they thrusted a pair of shorts, and what she assumed was a sports bra, and told to dress.

Actual clothes... it meant she was going out on market. She had to look presentable, like the shining little precious doll she was. She tried her best with her hair in terms of drying it, and stepped into her shorts, wiggling in them briefly before slowly tugging her shirt onto her slightly damp skin. The batarian masters did nothing to rush her, or force her, drawing confused eyes to their chests before lowering them again and finishing the task ordered.

Eyes down, her hands once again bound in cuffs, though these were fresh, clean ones. She was led out with other woman dressed in a similar fashion. Some were clean, and others were not. She did not know where they were being led, but it had a crowd-like roar coming from its large open doors. As darkness blazed into light, she struggled to look through the blinding lights, adjusting for a moment before opening her eyes to a horror scene.

The large room was lit in blinding lights, a platform rising above the ravenous crowd of batarians, humans, and various mercenary groups, lines of slaves being dragged in from different areas, all piled onto the various platforms to be displayed. As her group was led out, the crowd turned their excitement to the woman, all hollering and screaming for them, some shouting their desires, their needs. She was glad that she had not eaten recently, as she would have hurled them. The lingering scent of semen stuck in the air, and she quickly realized what was about to happen to the woman surrounding her, lining up beside her as they were shown off like antique wares.

They were going to be sold into the worst kind of slavery.

Shepard kept her eyes open while many closed them, knowing she was safe now. The batarians around her were announcing the sale, and how some were obviously tagged to be sold at a later date, for astronomical prices due to their rarity, their value. They had the girls turn their backs to their customers, describing the markings on their backs, and how they ID'd the girls not for sale but for show, as a tease. Her master came to her, and asked to her to turn. Her mark was special, a rarely used one as she was among the few biotic humans the slavers had ever had their hands on. Many annoyed cries came when they announced she would not be for sale.

She grimaced as she looked at the crowd that originally had her back, and hid her shaking at the horrible sights before her.

She closed her eyes immediately, trying to stop the smell from entering her nose, avoiding the horrible sight of the public horrors happening before her eyes.

"Your time will come, your biotic bitch," her master whispered in her ear as the girls around her, save for the others saved for the better sale time, disappeared, "Your new owner will use you like an omni tool endlessly, I know it."


	2. Shinitai, shinitai, shinitai

She never did see Halek again. She had been touched and saved by an angel with four eyes, a batarian with a sympathetic heart, one who didn't want the slave trade to be so dirty. She lost counts of the days, of the rise of the unfamiliar sun and the falls of the colored moon. She lost all sense of time and direction with the planet she was on, moved from place to place, displayed one way or another. Pulled from her cage, punished from time to time for letting her emotions flow, her hurt showing only for it to triple. It was odd that she hadn't been officially sold yet, a curious thing for such a rare buy. Were they waiting for a bidder among the crowds? Was she already slated to be sold somewhere, and it wold only be a matter of time?

She did not ponder any longer. She opened her eyes as the batarian between her legs finished his work, her cruel smile the only thing she saw as he pushed her upon her back, barely regarding her as her spread her legs once more. Her eyes closed once more, blocking out the sight of the batarian loaner who had bought her body once more, a man with no name, no rank, nothing but the growing fear and anger in her gut to mark him as a normal customer. She had learned to control her face, her lungs, her entire body by now, and did not react, earning nothing but a wicked laugh. He seemed to always think that the silence and the acceptance meant that she enjoyed it as much as the next loud slave.

They enjoyed raping her even is she gave not a whisper to them. It was enjoyable when they simply accepted it, almost more so it seemed. A screaming, resistant slave got tiring, but one that would never shove, and would always be open for the next man to come and empty himself inside her, was truly good.

The gush of warmth through her lower stomach told her this time in the slave rooms was complete, and the man would leave her be once again. Her body shook softly, her biotics flaring up around her as her body softly released its own pleasure, causing the man to gasp out in surprise. As he pulled out of her, she slowly sat up, wincing as her back protested. The loaner helped her sit up completely, drawing confused eyes to his face before she lowered them. She had looked at him without his permission.

"For a human biotic, you are well behaved... ah, you may speak, girl."

"...I am a slave. I would like to live a little longer, so I do not fight."

"A good idea. Say, girl, how old are you? Many don't know and it's been impossible to pinpoint without infiltrating the Alliance for the damned information."

"...w-whats the date today? B-by human standards?"

The batarian grumbled and cursed at her, swearing off the human way of telling the time and the flow of time, of the months and seasons. He let his omni tool light up, scanning through information quickly before turning back to her.

"This thing says today for humans it's... A..April 11th, 2171."

"April... 11th?"

"Yeah, why? Is it important to you girl?"

It was then her temporary buyer noticed she was crying, staring at the wall behind him, a haunting look on her face. Her bloodied hands to cover her mouth, holding back her tears as she cried. The batarian, caught off guard by her emotions, did not move to strike her as he should.

"T-today is my birthday..." she finally admitted, looking to the batarian as he flinched.

"R-Really?" he sounded genuinely surprised. She nodded, lowering her hands.

"Yeah... today... I turn 17 years old."

* * *

After another bath, and a new pair of shorts of crop top were given to her, she was put back into her cleaned cage, curling her knees to her chest. It seems she had done something good with telling her masters her age, and her birthday. They were satisfied, and would not fight her for the information. She got some time alone, listening to the chatter of slavers and buyers, the girls around her calming from their once hysterical states. It must have been months since they were taken from Mindoir, or wherever these girls were from. What horrors could they have seen during these months. Several of the cages near her were empty, originally filled with familiar faces.

A few may be in the arms and at the mercy of loaners, but several, she knew, had been sold to new masters. Cruel men with twisted expressions, and heavy pockets.

Her master came quietly to her cage, and her eyes lowered as he peered inside. He was silently watching her, judging her as she sit in submission.

"I'd suggest getting some sleep, girl. We're expecting important clients tomorrow, and you will need to look like you actually have slept decently in the past two weeks. You may answer."

"May I ask who this client is?" she quietly asked.

"I've never heard of them, but our boss got a huge offer for several of you yesterday. They're coming to collect, and appraise, apparently. Get some sleep now."

"Yes, master."

Like many of her regular loaners who come for her body, her master had gotten the lesson that he did not have to yell or be cruel to get her to listen and act as she should. She nodded and curled up into herself on the chilled floor of her cage. Her door creaked open silently, and soft fabric covered her partly nude form. She opened her eyes, and touched the blanket draped over her. Was she being rewarded for her good behavior, or were the batarians trying to clean up for this high profile client? She could not ask, and no answer would come.

Her eyes drifted close to the sight of her master looking at her, his eyes containing the oddest touch of compassion for a slaver.

When she awoke, the masters were moving quickly, cleaning up taken slaves, ensuring their personal slaves were in the best shape they could be after months of being put under their gruesome claws. She had been mostly taken care of, but still she was pulled from her sleep from the opening of her cage door. Hands pulled her carefully to her feet outside of the cold steel, keys rattling on the hip of her master. They lead her into a dimly lit room, sitting her in one of the chairs there. A batarian grabbed for what looked like pliers on the tray table beside her chair.

"We did install a control chip inside you, but it was determined useless now. We're going to remove it, and then get some medigel for your bruises on your hips and spine." her master explained.

She nodded gently as the chair flipped her so her eyes were on the ground, the back of her head open to the masters. She groaned as they dug into her head, pulling out what felt like a flat rock out of her neck quickly. She sighed as the chill of medigel hit the open wound. She was flipped rightside up once again.

"It'll leave a scar but it'll do."

He grabbed her bound wrists as she stood up, taking a key off his side and unlocking her cuffs, letting them drop with a clank on the floor. She stood there staring at her free hands as if the cuffs were still on, freshly strapped to her wrists. She looked to her master, questioning him despite the break in rules. He gently hit her face, reminding her quietly. She nodded and lowered her eyes, flexing her hands, rubbing her raw and scarred wrists. She was handed a small vial, and gently pushed against her back.

"Medigel. Apply it to your wrists while we walk. It won't remove the scars, but it'll help the wounds from developing into new ones."

Another nod of acknowledgement, and she was moved once more. She was moved into another room, a smaller one, where more medigel was handed to her master. The silent batarian woman nodded and smiled at her before closing the door behind her.

"Take your clothes off. I'm going to apply the medigel, and then you'll get dressed in the new black ones over there. Follow Verrek, the woman, and she'll lead you. This is our last time together, girl."

She stripped quickly, throwing her old clothes into the furnace along the side of the room. She stood still before him as he identified her bruises and wounds, the gentle chill of medigel healing her.

"Am I being sold?"

"No. Zel decided to move you under a new master, a better area now that we've sorted out all of you. No need to keep a valuable slave in the dirt where she's squandered."

"Is that big client coming today like you said?"

Her master was silent, almost nervous. He nodded, slathering the bruises on her back with medigel once again.

"Exactly. That's why we're having you moved, so you're not nabbed by this trash coming in."

"Trash?" she softly questioned, unaware that even the slave trade had unfavorable customers. Her master grimaced, stalling his hands on her back.

"The Blue Suns... a mercenary group. They come and go in terms of slaves, so they're not here often. But we don't want them here if it involves buying."

The Blue Suns. She had heard of them. They were one of the three big conglomerates that dominated the Terminus Systems and their gangs. They were notorious for weapons testings and numerous other offenses, but she wouldn't have been able to guess they meddled with slavery. Was her master... protecting her from the gangs? She shivered gently as more medigel was applied, rubbing her arms. His hands came off her as the gel cooled and sunk into her skin, and she pulled on her new clothes. They were lighter, and softer.

"You will have no issues with this new group. You're a good slave, biotic girl."

She smiled gently, bowing to him before turning to the door and stepping away from her old cage and old laugh as a lwoly slave into truly the more important slave she was marked as in the beginning. The woman he mentions before, Verrek, offered her the direction they would be going, and they were led into a cleaner section of the cages. Girls were sleeping on the floors of their cages, some with blankets, some with little packets of food. She kept her eyes down as she led to her new cage, and locked inside. Verrek slipped in her blanket given to her before the move and left her once more.

New area, and from the looks of it, new rules. These were all humans with something that made them valuable. Biotics, techs, who knows what exactly. The old rules still applied though, it seemed. Masters were beginning to buzz and pass, and eyes were on the floor, bowing gently in their own brand of subservience. She kept her eyes down as a new batarian stopped before her cage, kneeling down. He was in finger ware then her old master.

"You must be the biotic girl. Turn around, I need to see your mark."

Turning on her bottom so her slaver's tattoo could be seen, she let the batarian gaze upon it. He hummed in approval.

"A biotic human minor with one of the best amps I've seen in a long time. Tell me, biotic girl, how is a farm girl like you outfitted like that?"

She cleared her throat momentarily. "My parents were decorated leaders in the Alliance, and were able to get me the amp they felt I should have."

He was satisfied with her answer. "Turn back around, biotic girl."

She did as told, keeping her eyes down in respect. A hand moved through the bars, resting on her short cropped hair. The others around her, they all had shaved heads, or sere just starting to grow hair back on their heads.

"The Blue Suns won't get their hands on you anytime soon, biotic girl. You won't be loaned out for sex here, however you may be put to work as your biotics can help lift things we can't without extra bodies. You got today off, since we have to deal with the Blue Suns and their ugly money. Food will be around in about an hour for you."

With that her new master left. She smiled softly. It seemed like a much better place. No more men buying her for the purpose of raping her for sport. She would be safe and taken care of, a slave of importance who has earned her rewards. She curled up with her blanket, a smile on her face, and once again let herself drift off into a calm rest.

She woke up to the sounds of crying from the distance, to the chuckling of the masters around them busying themselves with their treasured slaves. She rose slowly, trying to make out what was causing the girls in the distance to cry so much. She listened in on the master's words, her heart clenching.

"Ruthless barbarians. They barely get their hands on their slaves and they decide to break them in front of everyone. A worthless master."

"Waste of a perfectly good human toilet, honestly. To think they paid for so many, just to play with them here and not use them properly..."

She slid to the back of her cage, clutching her chest as the cries of those being taken rung out brutally, their cries ignored by the slaves untouched, by the slavers amused or disgusted by the noise. She looked to the others, seeing that their reactions were horrified concealed to look tired. They were hiding their emotions, as they should. She took a deep breath, calming her wildly fluctuating emotions, her biotics starting to shimmer only to calm. Her master came a few minutes later, opening her cage door and offering his hand to her. She took it and helped herself up, keeping her eyes down.

"You don't need to keep your eyes on the floor, biotic girl. Simply shield your eyes around the other masters."

She smiled softly, lifting her eyes to her master, grey-silver eyes looking to his endless black ones. He seemed to smile back, leading her down the path of cages and chairs, of laughing slavers and worried slaves.

"Have you eaten yet?" he asked, turning to her. She shook her head.

"Not yet."

"Let's get you something to eat then. Then you're being put to work. You can still use your biotics well, yes?"

Shepard had to think. She hadn't used them for months but she wouldn't be against trying. "I haven't used them in a long time, but I can always test them if I was allowed."

Her master took a moment to think, passing her a packet of what she assumed was freeze dried food, something she wouldn't deny. It tasted like pasta, with mozzarella drizzled over. She hummed happily as her stomach took in the needed fats and carbs, her body giving off a gentle biotic discharge much to the surprise of her master, who stepped back cautiously.

"We can see if you can lift heavy objects and boxes, to make sure you're in shape to use them."

During the next three months, between servings of food to keep her energy and body moving and long tasks and jobs to help the slavers, she finally got the chance to test out her biotics once more, sending beautiful blue spirals up around her, lifting objects without an issue, putting on a show for her master, and soon a growing crowd of masters and their slaves. She tested different attacks and abilities, never once stopping her beautiful show of power and control. She bounced in the air as she floated effortlessly like a butterfly, testing out her wildly untested and untouched abilities, showing these men the beauty and danger that was Katherine Shepard, the little biotic slave. As she returned to the ground, a round of applause was awarded for her efforts.

Oh how foolish she was to have fun, to think that truly she was safe in the world of slaves and slavers, of no talking and no eye contact. Of the world that hated the Blue Suns for wasting their woman.

Her master's face was the only one among the crowd that grew angry, disappointed in her work over the weeks as they passed. What did he expect of her? What did he want with her? His angry eyes followed her as she worked for them, lifting boxes of heavy weapons and food, aiding in the movement of empty cages needed to be cleaned before they were to be used once more. She couldn't escape his anger, as confusing as it was.

She was told she would not be sold to loaners for sex, but he did not say that he wasn't able to use her for his own pleasures.

 _'Anyone... please save me...'_

* * *

She woke to the sounds of machines breathing, the gentle sounds of a heart monitor beeping and sounding off a person's heart. The room was bright white, a glaring color from the muted browns and blacks of the rooms holding the fields of cages and slaves. Blank eyes closed themselves from the false sight, unable to believe she was somewhere without the touch of her masters, without the eyes of the wardens, without the guidance of the batarians who owned her and her body and her will.

"You won't have to worry about the slavers anymore, little biotic girl."

Her eyes attempted to open once more, whimpering and groaning at the brightness. She moved to raise an arm to help her see, her eyes catching sight of the IV in her arm. She couldn't be with her masters. Even if she was a treasured slave, they would not go so far for someone like her.

A worthless, over-powerful human.

"W-where..." she attempted to say, swallowing the lump in her throat, lowering her arm. The lights didn't hurt her eyes too much anymore, able to see more as her eyes adjusted. She followed the source of the voice from earlier, letting her tears flow as he caught his eyes.

"Halek... w-what are you...?"

"You're free. I helped you escape from the slavers." he explained briefly.

"E-escape... but how? I-I remember... I remember my name master.. I remember blacking out after he... he raped me..."

The kind batarian with shining gentle eyes took her hand, gently squeezing it even though his face filled with pain. He took a moment, simply sitting there beside the bed-bound human he had saved, trying to think of how to explain what had happened.

"I said, when we first met, I would have bought you outright if you weren't still locked in there. I sought out another way to save you, because I knew you weren't going to live long enough to be sold out. I found a group willing to do anything to get you out safely. We worked together, and formed a plan to invade the slaver outpost you were in, and get as many out as possible.

"When we found you, being carried away covered in blood and semen... I thought they had broken you despite my efforts, but the batarian who hurt you, he had damaged you, but not enough to break."

She was silent, speaking up after taking her hand back, resting it on her chest.

"What did he do to me?"

"They tell me he did a lot of internal damages. You have bruises on your lower stomach, and tearing in your vaginal walls. Otherwise you'll be sore for a while. This place isn't outfitted to do what they need to do to help you, but you'll be heading out soon. As soon as you're cleared to walk."

"Halek... who did you get help from?"

She asked just a second too late to get an answer from him as two humans walked in, one female, one male. Halek stood and spoke with them in a hushed, quiet tone she couldn't make out enough to understand. He looked to her, and bowed gently.

"I hope you stay safe, little biotic girl. This is our last meeting."

She waved goodbye to her batarian savior, before closing her eyes and letting herself cry in silence, despite her audience. Once she had a handle on herself, she opened her eyes to her voyeurs. They exchanged looks before stepping up to her medical bed.

"Miss Shepard. It's good to see you awake," the woman said, pushing back her black hair from her face. Her expression was tightly drawn over her flawless features, "Your friend there has been a tremendous help to us and our operations in saving human lives."

"Just humans...?" she silently murmured. The man cleared his throat before pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his large nose.

"Miss Shepard. My name is Dr. Harrison, and this is Operative Miranda Lawson. We'll be your help while you adjust to your life with us."

She tilted her head to the right, looking both of them in the eyes in confusion and fear. "Who is 'us', exactly?"

Miranda smiled, something hiding a malicious glean.

"You're in the safe hands of Cerberus, Katherine Shepard. Do not worry. You've spent nearly two years now under slavers, and it's time for you to make up for that lost time."


	3. Watashi wa anzendesu ka?

Growing up on a farming colony left her without the knowledge many would know on Earth. She had barely heard whispers of a group named Cerberus, but nothing she could remember clearly. They were kind enough to raid the slaver grounds to free the slaves stuck within, so perhaps they have good intentions. They wished her health would get better. They would be transporting her to the Citadel where she would be given more expansive reconstructive surgeries so she would on the path to heal and grow from the traumatic two years under batarian slavers and the deplorable conditions.

Cerberus. The name alone was malicious with its history in mythology.

She continued to question the truth behind the smiles of Dr. Harrison and Miranda Lawson, even as she dressed up for her departure to the Citadel for her surgeries. Her shirt dipped low in the back, showing her slave tattoo in all its black ink glory, and Cerberus didn't do much to help her hide her shame and horror story. They gave her a jacket, but it still didn't feel covered enough to hide.

She would going to be before the world of the Citadel, a freed seventeen year old slave girl with the marks to show she had gone through hell under the batarian slavers. The scars on her wrists from the cuffs, chains, wrought irons, and burning hot irons. The scars that littered her legs and back, the long scar down her face that went over her left eye.

She paused as she finished putting on her new black boots, pushing around her cropped hair. It still was short, and choppy, and had a long way to go before it was grown out properly. She still couldn't completely comprehend just how this had happened, how she was free of her masters, how she had escaped through miraculous means. She rubbed her scarred wrists, poked at the wounded skin and muscles. To think, not long ago, they were bound in bloodied wrought iron cuffs. Now they were bare for the world to see, but the question remained: would anyone recognize such scars and assume she were once a slave?

"Ready, Shepard?"

Miranda had poked her head in, a gentle, almost warm expression on her face. She smiled gently, nodding as she stood. She had her omni tool back, and the familiar weight of her father's dog tags on her chest.

Miranda had told her that story, of how they were retrieved. She had to splatter the brains of several batarians, ripping through their necks to find the dog tags that were embedded in a pile of flesh from slaughtered, unsold humans they had kept hidden in one of the deep pits. It was nearly taken by the fires that would incinerate the slaughtered bodies, but biotics were useful when human reach couldn't be useful.

She was quiet as she followed Miranda, unintentionally looking to her feet, fighting herself and her lessons as a slave girl. Normal people looked others in the eyes, not the ground. Others spoke when spoken, not when given strict orders to speak. She took a shaky breath, calming her hammering heart. She wasn't going to be in any more danger, inside any more cages. She was a free girl, a free human. Even though she would bare her slave mark for her entire life, she would never be a slave again. Worrying eyes scanned the shuttle as she was allowed inside, taking a seat next to Dr. Harrison, a nervous smile on her lips as the doors closed.

"S-so, where in the Citadel are we-"

She hadn't even seen him move, or even suspected that the two humans in the shuttle were going to hurt her. She gave a strangled gasp one second too late as a needle was pushing into her neck, the contents taking over her almost instantly. She was trapped under her own mind, her eyes losing their shine and luster, emptying like a tub of water. She swayed just the slightest as the drug took her hostage, ripping her free will away and trapping her in a maze she couldn't fight through. Gentle hands moved her so her head was rested on Dr. Harrison's shoulder, his chuckle dark and filled with malice.

"I almost feel bad, but really, this is just stupidly fortunate." the doctor said, smiling at the empty girl, "Don't worry, miss. It'll wear off by the time we're done with our business."

"It's cruel, but we won't have another opportunity like this," Miranda stated, looking to the blank girl, "Her biotics are absolutely impossible for a human, and if can figure out how, or what exactly her amp is doing, we could help our own troops."

"Imagine though, once we have her completely, Miranda... this girl could be the key to getting everything the Illusive Man wishes. She's the strongest human biotic we've ever seen, save for the Subject Zero girl, but even this girl blows her out of the water! She would be the greatest weapon for us."

Miranda nodded with a touch of a smile. This girl, Katherine, could be the key to keep Cerberus afloat if they could get her under their control. The wounds of her slavery years were still very fresh, so trying to do it now was astonishingly risky, but there wouldn't be another time after this. It was now or never if they wished to utilize the strongest biotic in human history and make her theirs. Dig into her brain, her body's composition, find out just how many element zero nodes she had embedded inside her. They wanted to know what made her tick, what made her work, and they would go the lengths to make sure this biotic would be theirs by the end, no matter what they must do to her.

The shuttle boucned slightly as they made their way through the Citadel, landing discreetly within one of the deeper Zakera Wards, the hatch popping open to a sparse crowd. Miranda did a quick sweep with her eyes, frowning slightly.

"This is the best you could do?"

Dr. Harrison gave her a pointed look. "If you want to walk her around the Citadel all day like this, please do. This is the closest we could get."

Shepard stumbled as she exited the shuttle, landing into Dr. Harrison's arms. He gently calmed the shocked, drugged teen. She looked around for a moment before finding her center again, standing beside him until he took her hand, and led her forward. Miranda led them, casually talking with Dr. Harrison as a cover to the fact that they were smuggling a drugged, and abused teenage human girl. Shepard's eyes wandered as she was moved, blurry, unfocused, empty eyes gazing at the watery world around her. Fog covered everything, rendering her blank as a slate, unable to hold onto many of the memories being made now. She kept walking, one step, two steps, led like a young child.

Shoked blue eyes locked on hers, and for once drew the attention of the girl's shady mind from the blurry world to those shockingly beautiful eyes.

The lines of his face, the plating across his next entire body, the flicker and fall of mandibles. It was a turian. A little on the young side, perhaps. Fresh, crisp blue uniform of the C-Sec uniform covered his body. Her eyes came back to his shocked eyes, watching anger and rage roll into them next before gentle warmth came to them. Could he see she wasn't herself? Did he think doing such would help her?

Perhaps it would.

Dr. Harrison kept her moving, Miranda kept it looking like they were moving Shepard to a clinic to help with her sudden withdrawal from real interaction. Hiding the true ugly face they had and their intention to mindfuck the girl they dragged along, drugged and forced into absolute submission. She would be their toy, their puppet. A lie wrapped in biotic power.

She was led into a small hidden doorway, told to lay on the operating table just around the corner. Dr. Harrison was calm, his smile wicked as she lay on her back. He grabbed tools, bags, anything he could search, pulling out scalpels, scissors, knives of all sizes. Needles, hypodermic injectors, tubes... the list of items he had around him and around her was terrifying, especially in the context in which he wished to use them. Shepard lay there motionless, emotionless. She, under the haze of his drugs, didn't care. Miranda walked off a ways, her smile still visible as she turned in profile.

"Don't damage anything, Harrison." she warned.

He chuckled darkly, grabbing for a scalpel. The blade gently shimmered in the low lights, reflecting the empty grey eyes of his subject. So willing, so drugged out of her mind. The poor slaver girl, she was, but he didn't care about her well being.

She was a test subject. A toy for Cerberus to play and abuse for the sake of humanity's rise to power.

"Even if I do, it won't be an issue to fix her up," he murmured, spinning the scalpel in his fingers before poking it into her arm.

"Let's find where your nodules are, storing all that element zero in your body. For someone so strong... well it's a miracle this slaver girl is alive at all. So powerful... she should be dead, if she has that much element zero."

A gentle line of crimson followed his blade as he began to slice into the skin and muscles on her arm, being cautious not to damage the soft and delicate pink tissues underneath her skin. Farther and farther he cut, sighing at the sight of her body as if it was exhilarating for the scientist. The drugs hadn't affected her bloodstream too much, the lines of blood spilling were nothing but a tiny obstacle that could be cleaned up. He wasn't interested in the blood, but the muscles. Nodules were normally embedded into the tissues and muscles lining the shoulders, upper arms, and sometimes in patterns in a person's wrists and fingers. Humans didn't, and most likely couldn't, have as many as Asari, who had nodules covering most of their musculature, but it wasn't beyond theory that humans over time could develop the ability to house such power in their muscles.

"Her nodulars are so bright. It's like sapphires embedded in red and pink rock!" he exclaimed, "God, this girl is a marvel. She could be the start of a biotic evolution in humanity. She has one perfect piece of her that you don't have, Miranda."

The operative scoffed, keeping her eyes from the scientist's work as she sat herself down in the small lounge around the corner, divided from the operating section by frosted glass.

"It's not easy bio-engineering a child to be the world's strongest biotic without risk of terminal cancer."

He widened his cuts, gently pulled back the skin with gloved fingers to look closer at the glittering nodules within her muscles and tissues. Gently twitching pink muscles glittered with the hidden gems of her eezo nodules, lining near every single spot he could get his eyes on. He pulled away for a moment, taking up a clipboard, making notes.

"Subject has not just singular nodules but what looks like a wired network of them in her deltoid, tricep brachii, bicep brachii, and brachialis muscles in her right arm. Each node is smaller compared to other subjects, notably Subject 0, along with Subjects 3 and 5, while the pathways between each one resemble somewhat of a network of neurons. Let it be noted that the pathways seem to train onward up farther up her shoulder."

He set his clipboard down, gently wiping the small amount of blood falling down her arms with a small cloth, his smile unnervingly satisfied. Shepard's eyes shifted around, light coming back to them at a snail's pace. The fogs and storms were beginning to clear and subside, and Dr. Harrison was nowhere close to being done with his precious biotic. He lay the peeled back flaps of skin back into place, applying a light coating of medigel along the cuts before moving to her chest, making an incision as immediately adding smaller cuts to the side so he could pull them back to gaze at the muscles and nodules within, whistling in amazement.

Grabbing his clipboard again, he made more notes.

"Exquisite network of nodules on her pectoralis major! The pathways that connect to the nodes are thinner here, however the nodes themselves are slightly larger. They almost appear to form a pattern, like a constellation. These nodules are also noticeably brighter then the ones along her arm, perhaps to the proximity to her heart, or her central nervous system."

He peeled it back farther, marveling at the beauty of her inner workings, carefully poking the muscles, watching the nodes light up as she squirmed and whimpered. He looked to her eyes, spying that she was awakening from her drugged wonderland, causing him to frown. He would have a while until she truly woke but it meant he had less time to experiment and explore. He repeated his steps of cleaning and applying medigel before wiping her brow of sweat, his evil, ecstatic smirk still upon his lips.

"If I had the time to map every single node you have in your body, I would have so much fun in peeling your skin back to watch them light up inside your muscles and tissues."

She twitched and whimpered once again, her eyes growing brighter, her body burning the drug out of her body at a rate he couldn't control. He frowned more and stabbed the scalpel beside her head, making her squirm and whimper more. Her smile turned malicious as he picked up one of his knives, running the flat face across his palm.

"Little slaver girl... you should have died back there with your masters... but you will enjoy now your life with us."

More life returned to her body. Her fingers twitched in fear, her eyes blinking tears down her cheeks. She was awakening to what the doctor had planned for her as he let the knife slide over her right cheek, flinching at the dangerous cold. She blinked away the remaining pain and drug fog, her flight or fight instinct firing like a chain gun. Miranda was slow to move as she seemed to sense Shepard manipulating mass effect fields, pushing the Doctor away from her as she surged upward and moved, pushing a barrier up as Miranda drew a pistol, anger and fear and rage filling her glowing blue eyes.

Everything moved slowly and quickly. Shepard was scrambling off the operation table as the door they entered in exploded out in smoke, men and woman in C-Sec uniforms rushing in, about four of them. She cleared the fog as the officers went for the groaning Dr. Harrison and the wildly glowing Miranda, her eyes catching instead the blue eyes that had helped her poke through the horrid fog.

Gentle, warm, comforting blue eyes. Sharp but welcoming turian eyes.

"Over here!"

She didn't hesitate, rushing to the turian as she held onto his chest, the fledgling officer aiming his M-6 Carnifex at the thrashing, struggling operative, curling the shaking human girl to him, protecting her by shielding her with his body. The other officers got hold of Miranda at last, knocking her out for their safety and hauling Dr. Harrison off the floor, though they were immediately calling for medics. Shepard didn't dare move from the turian's side, just barely spotting the splatter of blood on the ground and the dented wall that the doctor was slammed into with her attack. She shook and hid herself in his protection.

"Good job, Vakarian. A good tip off." one of the other turian officers congratulated the turian, looking to the human that clung to him.

"Get her to the office. I think Bailey can help you with her. We're going to haul these Cerberus freaks in."

Shepard kept close to the turian who saved her as the C-Sec officers dragged the doctor and the operative out and away. A small crowd had gathered around the small lab, and immediately she kept even closer to him. He was cautious, just barely touching her shoulder as he put the safety back on his gun and led her out gently. She kept close to him as he moved them, trying not to let her breaking psyche shatter as eyes looked at her.

"It's alright. You're bleeding, some people are worried." his voice was a calming, rumbling murmur. She shivered and nodded gently, trust immediately attaching to his image.

"...am I safe?" her voice was horribly timid and quiet, but he seemed to hear her. His gloved talons grabbed his shoulder, and she didn't shake in fear.

"You're safe. They can't touch you anymore."

"Thank you." her words were softly sobbed, leaning into the turian officer that had pulled her out of the maws of a thresher maw and saved her life from the terrors that had taken her, threatening her with knives.

His hand tightened somewhat, his expression easy to read, even though turian's didn't exactly express emotions through their faces. His mandibles fluttered, making sure she was close to him, protecting her from the unknown crowds, the world around them.

* * *

C-Sec was quiet when she arrived with her savior turian, led to his small office, allowed to sit in safety. She sighed heavily, taking a moment as he rummaged through some papers before she sat in one of his spare chairs, starting to take off her boots. She looked up briefly as she rubbed her sore feet, seeing the first aid kit in his talons. She nodded and set her foot down, moving so he could see her wounds. They were expect cuts into her skin and upper muscles, and the medigel applied to it earlier was healing the nearly invisible lines away. He reapplied a thin layer so the lines would disappear, careful in touching her. Sensing her fear, the fearful twitches in her muscles, a motion she couldn't stop after the years of abuse and manipulation.

"Thank you."

He looked up at her, seeing exhaustion behind gentle grey eyes. Eyes that he could tell had seen horrors despite her age, despite her ripped apart youth.

"It's my job." he said gently. She shook her head.

She smiled softly, absolutely happy and warm and surprising. His mandibles almost dropped down as he did.

"You saved me from another life of enslavement." she admitted, and his mandibles finally dropped in absolute fear.

She saw that expression, and closed her eyes, reaching to take one of his hands. Tears streaked down her cheeks, shaking her head once again. He looked up at this young human in curious wonder, wondering how she could be smiling after everything.

"You saved me," she repeated, wiping her tears with her other hand, "and I don't have to worry about being taken again. For the first time in years... I'm safe."

He gave what he could call the equivalent of a human smile, his mandibles fluttering for her as she looked at him, that estatic, freeing smile on her lips. Her held her hand tightly, glad to know that he had made such a difference for her.

"I'm glad I got bored with my patrols then to look at you."

She chuckled a little, reveling in the comforting, friendly bubble already surrounding them. She never did stop smiling.

"What's your name?" she asked, running that free hand through her short, choppy hair.

"Garrus Vakarian. And yours?"

She seemed to hesitate, almost scared as her expression clouded before she shook her head. Her smile came back as she let her other hand hold his.

"Katherine Shepard. Thanks for being a bad cop."

"Just don't tell my bosses that this whole thing happened is because I slacked off."

She raised a bruised finger to her lips, a gesture that initially confused Garrus until she spoke, her voice like ringing bells, the magical crashing of a waterfall on the rocks below.

"Your secret is safe with me, Garrus."


	4. Kienai itami

Shepard was content with the comfort of his office, awaiting the other C-Sec officer named Bailey to arrive. Garrus claimed that the man was busy on his rounds, and would be back within an hour or two, leaving her to find entertainment as he filled out paperwork for his raid of what was originally labeled a private botany lab, now discovered to be a Cerberus operation room. She rubbed her arms gently, the slight chill getting to her. Her fingers ran along her arm slowly, as if trying to figure out what lay on her skin, realizing then what was wrong.

Her slave tattoo, on her back. It was visible in the shirt she wore.

"C-Can I get a blanket, o-or something, please?" Her voice shook, more in fear then in the face of the cold air, but it caught his attention.

He looked up from his desk, his calming eyes locking on hers, but this time they did not console her. Stuck in the wave of fear thanks to her masters, she was chained down with it. He took a moment to look and watch her, as if trying to figure out what spooked her.

"Are you cold?"

He could see through her thin veiled attempt to look cold, she knew it. She shivered and curled into herself, leaning so her back wasn't exposed to him, and instead faced the wall no matter what. She nodded, rubbing her arms once again, hoping perhaps goosebumps would rise up on her skin to validate her need for a blanket to hide under. Garrus stood quietly, walking over to her and kneeling down so he wasn't hovering high above the curled up girl. His gaze was gentle, accepting. He understood.

"I'll get you a blanket. Would you like something to eat as well? I'm sure someone has levo food somewhere."

"I can eat dextro too."

He almost looked frightened at her statement, perhaps more bewildered. His mandibles dropped slightly in shock, lifting once more as he pulled back his composure, his eyes asking for an explanation before he could get the words out without a stutter.

"It... my parents had me tested really early for the allergic reaction and I never got one. The food just makes me a little tired, is all. Tastes a little bland, upsets my stomach sometimes. I've had to eat it before just to survive, so..."

He looked confused, and worried as well, but didn't seem to go against her explanation. "That may be the case, but I don't think you'd want to have an upset stomach with an empty one."

She gave just the tease of a smile, her limbs relaxing. "You're right there. M-Maybe that Bailey man can get some?"

"It's possible. Besides, finding Bailey is a priority so we can help you out, Shepard. He's my boss."

"So don't tell Bailey that you got bored and someone ended up busting a Cerberus cell and saving a captured girl you just so happened to look at while staying bored?" the sharp snark slipped through her lips, curling into a smile.

"Yes, please. I was lucky enough to get this job at my age."

She looked surprised, reaching out and poking at his carapace. Garrus didn't seem to have any interest to stop her curious fingers.

"How old are you, Garrus?" she asked, her fingers withdrawing once she was satisfied with her exploration. He groaned as he stood, taking the seat next to her, finding it more fitting then kneeling on the rather hard ground of the office.

"Closer to eighteen. Why?"

She was taken back, her eyes speaking for the gasp she suppressed. So young and already working for C-Sec? He caught on, a curious trill responding to it.

"Do all turians start everything really young?"

"We all enter some sort of public service or military at the age of fifteen. I entered the military for two years, and thanks to my father, got a job here on the Citadel in C-Sec. He's retired to help sort out our clan back home, but he put in a good word for me."

"Turians have a really big sense of public service and self sacrifice, then?"

"Exactly," Garrus pointed out, "As much as C-Sec can be a mess of red tape... well, let's just say I should have listened to my father's tips on getting around it more then I did. Would have helped me out a lot."

She smiled, leaning back. They had forgotten that she had asked for a blanket, that the human girl was hungry, enjoying their conversation. He hummed gently, his subvocals reaching her translator without an issue. He was curious about something. His eyes traveled her face, looking for any change, any fear, and in finding none, he spoke once again.

"How old are you then, Shepard?"

"Seventeen, almost eighteen now. The military sounds cool, but we can't join up with the Alliance until we're eighteen. The N7 program has my curiosity, though."

"N7 program?"

She turned toward him, invested in her explanation. "It's the best the Alliance can offer. Those that just get nominated to N1 training are revered, because it's brutal. There's no shame in failing. It goes from N1 to N7. It's official name is... is... what is it.. ah! Interplanetary Combatives Training, that's it. Most people just call it N-School. Once you pass N6 training, you become an N7. I think it would be amazing to go through it, though it's absolutely brutal. Twenty hour training sessions, off-planet training... I want to try to get to N7. My mom got to N5, but couldn't pass tests and training to get to N6. I'm still... proud of her..."

Garrus watched as her face fell as the words of praise for her mother slipped through her frowning lips, her happiness dropping into a pit as tears gathered in her eyes, and rushed away by her arm. He waited there in his chair as she tried to gather her fracturing mask of calm, unable to stop her shoulders and body from shaking in her pain. He could piece together that the subject of her mother was something very sensitive. He rested a hand on her shoulder, and she immediately leaned into him as she let her tears slip, resting her head on his shoulder.

"...if my parents were here, they could have helped me get into the program much easier."

A loaded question built into his throat. "If you don't mind me asking... what happened to them?"

Shepard was silent, her weeping as quiet as a sleeping bird in its nest. She didn't twitch, didn't even seem to be breathing for a few minutes as silence covered them. Her fingers would tighten, clawing into his uniform.

"They were... they were killed. They were murdered in a slaver raid."

He had just gotten out of the military, and was browsing through Palaven's markets, when the news came in. Due to the tensions since the Relay 314 Incident, very few news networks would broadcast news pertaining to humans, but the constant struggle against batarian slavers was newsworthy no matter who was the target of their brutality. News blared through a bar as he passed that a farming colony had been hit by slavers, raided empty, burned to the ground, the rotted and mutilated corpses of the slain left for the Alliance to mop up. No survivors were found there, the Alliance let the public know, and all missing people were assumed taken by the slavers.

What was the colony?

"Did you see them get killed?"

She looked at him, her eyes pleading him not to speak, not to have her drag such a painful memory out of her maw, but she knew that she could not hide it forever. It could never be hidden, not with the slaver mark on her back and the scars she hid under the clothing on her back.

"No. I was running from the town shops, fighting for my life... but I saw their bodies once I hit my home. I watched my siblings die at the hands of the batarians. I fought as best as a I could."

His mandibles flickered, his eyes widening in disbelief, his thoughts a wild, raging, fearful mess. _'Please don't say you were taken'_ , he pleaded silently.

"Mindoir was burning when they got a hold of me..."

She had been a slave. She had been a fucking slave under the batarian slave masters. An anger forbidden burned in his chest, imagining this girl under the claws of slavers, treated like an animal, sold like livestock. It made him angry for no reason he could imagine yet, and he had to rein himself in before he started growling, and making her scared. She noticed his flash flood emotions, sighing as she adjusted herself, moving closer to him.

"I got free though... thanks to Cerberus... though they were just like the masters, just with different methods. Made me think I was safe, that they actually cared about me. Giving me my freedom and just slapping new cuffs on my wrists!"

His eyes held sorrow as she grew angry, only to curl her hands into fists. He could see now the scars and healed wounds along the wrists, the marks of a girl bound in chains for years on end, constantly rubbing her skin raw in them, trying to get free. Some were deep, some were shallow, angry red and pink and dusty brown lines against her lightly tanned skin. No one could mistaken the marks on her as anything else but scars made by something wrapped around her wrists and dug into them constantly. She clenched her hands again and again until he let a gloved hand take hers, drawing the girl's watering eyes to him in surprise.

"You won't have to ever worry about that again."

"Huh?"

"I'll make sure... someway, somehow, you're never put in chains or bound again." he paused, watching her face melt its anger and turn into sheer amazement, coughing to break the silence, "I, uh... mm. That must sound weird, with all that's happened and I didn't mean to make it sound weird at all."

She shook her head, her smile returning. "It didn't sound weird. It's what I really needed to hear. Thank you, Garrus... for answering my prayers."

* * *

Bailey arrived to the sight of Shepard and Garrus playing Skyllian Five on the floor, the girl laughing as she slammed down her winning hand, the turian groaning and growling gently that she was cheating somehow handing over his bets to her via omni transfer. She had somehow gotten a lucky streak, earning about three hundred credits in total. He stood there with a smile, watching them start to reshuffle the deck, beginning another round of Skyllian without a care in the world. He had gotten the report on the girl, and what little he could dig up on her record on the Citadel, waiting for the rest from the Alliance.

Reported missing two years ago after the raid on Mindoir, she had seemingly disappeared until now.

He stood there in the doorway, watching them play without a distraction in the world until Shepard had turned to cheer, catching his eyes, and eventually Garrus followed. He surged up and saluted, but the action was quickly ended as Bailey gave him a gesture to end it.

"Sorry for making you two wait. I figured after getting the report, I'd pick up everyone food. Took forever since no one had any decent turian food."

"You went out of your way to get me food, Bailey?" Garrus asked, his subharmonics all confusion. He lifted one of the bags in his hands.

"I did. You did a hell of a job, spotting this girl and shutting down a Cerberus science lab. You've earned it. Got you this stuff that looks like noodles, but has like blue soy sauce on it. It's called... god, what was it... Hareisha? I think that's it."

He trilled in all honestly, his eyes speaking for his happiness and excitement. "You didn't, you're absolutely lying. No one on the Citadel makes Hai'erasha. It's a Palaven specialty!"

"I'd be able to prove you wrong with the contents of the box inside this bag, Garrus."

Shepard slowly got up from the floor, looking at Bailey curiously. Garrus took the bag, looking into the contents with an excited trill, looking at her before setting the bag aside.

"Shepard, this is Captain Bailey. He'll be helping you as well with everything since he's one of the few humans in C-Sec with a decent rank."

"It's nice to meet you, sir." she said firmly, offering a hand, smiling as Bailey accepted the shake.

"No need for the sir. Bailey is fine, especially considering the circumstances. I was wondering if we could talk and eat, so we can get the full story and figure things out from here."

"Absolutely. What'd you get for me? I... I haven't really had anything to decently eat in a few days."

Bailey offered the other bag, smiling. "I read up on your available file, though much of it is covered in black ink thanks to the Alliance. Preferences included cheese ravioli and cheesy bread to help with calorie intake for biotic use?"

"I could kiss you right now." She grabbed the bag, lifting it to her nose and sighing in pleasure, smelling the hot food through the box within.

Garrus and Shepard looked to each other, smiling in their own ways, happy to have good food with them now. Garrus was the first to look to Bailey, encouraging him in with a tilt of his head.

"We can deal you in, Bailey. Food, Skyillian Five, and some talking. Not bad for a originally boring day here."

Bailey chuckled, sitting down in their small circle as they took their spots and opened their meals, both giving their respective excited hollers.

"This definitely beats paperwork, I know that."

It took some time for them to actually get to business, and speak of Shepard's status and history, going through ten rounds of Skyllian Five while chowing down on their meals. They would questio neach other's meals, and hands in the game, laughing when Garrus made a weird look at the smell of her food. Though the disgust didn't stop there, especially when Shepard tried a small sample of Garrus' meal, proclaiming as she spat it out that it tasted sour. She found her match with Bailey in terms of sheer luck, winning four rounds while Bailey and Garrus took three. They all broke just about even, and their meals had filled their empty bellies. Eventually they calmed and settled into a renewed, relaxing new hand of Skyllian Five.

"Alright, let's get started. Introduce yourself." Bailey prompted. Shepard nodded softly, setting a card down and pull another from the stack.

"My full name is Katherine Ari Shepard. My parents are Hannah and Darius Shepard, Alliance Military. My father finished his military career as Staff Commander, while my mother finished a Captain. They were important officers during the First Contact War, or the Relay 314 Incident for you Garrus, but my mother got in trouble after the war. Something about helping turians. I never really learned about it. I was born on Mindoir on April 11, 2154, well into my parent's early retirement."

She paused, their game coming to an end with an agreed upon victory to Garrus. They gathered the cards, and looked to Shepard. She looked to Garrus, the turian nodding for her to continue.

"I was on Mindoir when batarian slavers raided us. I was in the markets..." she had to take a breath, her heart pounding as she recounted the memories of the fires burning over dead bodies, the smell of smoke and burning flesh choking her as she ran from them, "I was in the markets when they attacked, and I ran for safety. I ended up at home, where I discovered my... m-my parent's had been killed, and my brother and young sister were being executed. I... grabbed a pistol, and fought for my life. Using that gun, my biotics... I held out as long as I could before they got me, tired and nearly unconscious from the constant biotic use. They dragged me off like the rest of the girls they took."

They were quiet, letting the wait of the confession settle. Garrus offered a hand to her, letting her find comfort in his grasp as she had before. It was a tale she didn't want to repeat, a scar on her forever that would never truly be healed. She took a breath, tightened her hold on his hand, and continued.

"For the next year, almost two, I was just another slave in their trade. I was special because I was a biotic, one with a priceless amp. They... t-they tattooed my back and did with me what they wished."

Garrus' eyes widened, connecting the dots in the long narrative he had witnessed with her. "That's why you wanted to have a blanket earlier? To hide that tattoo?"

She nodded, wrapping her arms around her folded legs. "This outfit bares my back enough to see it."

Bailey hummed softly, looking like he was thinking into something deep. She watched his eyes, seeing the emotions reflect to her.

"How'd you end up with Cerberus, Shepard?" he asked.

"They broke me out. A batarian named Halek had loaned me and-"

"Loaned?" both men asked, confused by the term in its context. She took a deep breath.

"The slave trade has its own vocabulary. 'Loaners' were people who bought girls for a short period of time, and returned them to their masters. It was used most of the time to.. to try out the merchandise before they bought them later."

Her words carried the implications, and both men inhaled sharply, their faces contorted. They looked horrified, mortified, and terrified. She could see the sadness in Garrus' eyes, hear it in the soft whine of his lower voice. She did not confirm or deny the hidden allegations in her explanation. She closed her hazy grey eyes, closing out their emotions, finding her broken self within her. She had to hold on, keep it tight to her chest, and try to move on from the actions pushed onto her body.

Continue the story.

"Halek helped me avoid a horrible fate early into my slavery, and he didn't want me there. He must have known what would happen to me if I stayed. He eventually contacted Cerberus, and made a deal with them after so many had rejected his mission to get me out. They tore into the outpost, and saved me and the others... though I don't know where they took the others. I was their priority. They took me somewhere while I was unconscious. They told me they didn't have what they needed to fix me up entirely, and needed to take me to the Citadel to get more help.

"They drugged me on the shuttle. They had helped me, healed my wounds and injuries. They wanted me for my biotics, just like the damn masters. They were just willing to go much farther with it."

Bailey let out a sigh, moving closer to Shepard and offering his side. She took the invitation and curled up next to him, finding comfort there. Garrus soon followed, taking her other side, holding her hand, keeping his ever present heat next to her body. These two, they had saved her. They gave her a new life. A new chance.

"Seeing as technically, after we tie up this case with a pretty red ribbon because things involving Cerberus can get tricky, you'd have to be relocated and put into foster care until you're eighteen, this is gonna be difficult."

She knew she had immediately acted in terror at the thought, and Bailey was quick to intercept it.

"However, I think I can find a way to avoid that. I wouldn't mind going through the bull that involves adoption to get you to live with me."

"Really?"

"I already let that small dinosaur live with me, but I don't see any issue letting you stay with me. Doesn't seem like you'd be comfortable anywhere else anyway."

Her eyes practically sparkled, looking to Bailey and Garrus, tears building in her eyes, ones burning bright in happiness. Garrus' hands tightened around hers, his turian smile making her giggle. She had a home, a new future, and a new chance at life. Her smiles and laughter gave Bailey her answer as he slowly stood, Shepard leaning into Garrus instead, watching her soon to be guardian stretch his bones.

"I'll get started on the paperwork now, so I don't get lazy later on it. Garrus, take the rest of the day off. Get her home, get her settled. I'll be there in a few hours. Oh, and make lots of coffee."

"You got it. Come on, Katherine."

He helped her to her feet, smiling as she bumped purposely into his side. Her mandibles fluttered against his cheeks. She never let go of his hand as he led her out of C-Sec and toward the transport shuttles, curious eyes wandering around for a moment. He settled into the driver's seat, set in his address, and helped her buckle in next to him.

"It may get a little bumpy, but don't worry. It's a short trip to our place."

Our place. It wasn't just his and Bailey's. The decision was prompted and made without hesitation, and there would be nothing better for her now. She nodded, settling into the leather seats, closing her eyes as it began its flight path. Her hand still kept hold of his through it, never once loosening or letting go. He kept a watchful eye on her, watching her face as it twitched with every shake of the shuttle, the little twitch of her lips as they moved into a calm lane. She was a curious human, a curious enigma among the populace. One that had seen horrors and pain and fires before she truly would enter the universal stage. He thought he would feel pity, but instead he found himself amazed and saddened. Sad that such a originally bright and fantastic person had been rendered near dead and destroyed, irreplaceable pieces of her entire being cracked and damaged and rotted.

At the same time he was amazed. This girl had gone through nearly two years of slavery, shoved into cages, abused and used by batarians and who knows who else, and still came out being able to smile. She held scars and tattoos she could never get rid of and yet here she was, in a shuttle car with him, smiling as they raced through the lanes of the Citadel to set up in her new home. She was powerful and imaginative and strong-willed. Katherine Shepard was more then just a freed human slave.

She was practically an icon for him. The proof to his fellow turian brothers and sisters that humanity is not weak, nor wrong in their pursuit for a bigger role in the universe. They had the ability to do great things, and if given the chance, they could do it without fail.

"We're almost there."

She opened her eyes, looking around for a moment with the slightest dusting of confusion before realization found its place. The shuttle was coming up on a block of decent sized apartments. She closed her eyes again as the shuttle came to the ground, opening them as the doors opened, getting up and out with some difficulty. She looked around, cautious and firm in form. She was trained, even though she had been broken. She would fight now. She did not fear death by the hand of her masters, nor the punishments for acting out. She was free.

Garrus' hand came to her shoulder, calming her near rigid form. A slight flutter of his mandibles and the gentle murmur of his subharmonics told her he was worried.

"I'm okay. Just a little worried." she reassured him, "New place and everything."

"I understand. Let's get to the apartment. You can eat more there."

"More food?!"

* * *

By the time Bailey had returned to their apartment, Garrus and Shepard had fallen asleep on their long couch, the two practically tangled around one another in an attempt to find comfort for a human and a turian. He was honestly surprised how Garrus could lay on his side on that couch with Shepard up against him without hurting his spurs, or his fringe at all. It was a mystery he would have to accept, moving inside silently as he set down papers on the kitchen table, yawning loudly.

It was almost done. Most of the paperwork was easy and quick seeing as she had a registered ID with the Citadel already, and seeing as her parents were connected to high brass on the Alliance side, they could move through with the process easy. They wanted to make sure Shepard wanted this, so she had some things to fill out.

They also asked questions. Lots of them concerning her time off the grid completely, and what happened to her during that time. He said they could confirm all missing persons from the Mindoir raid were taken by batarian slavers. He would fill them in once Shepard was truly willing to give out details of what happened during her enslavement.

He looked over to the couch, hearing no stir or shift. A smile came to his face. He was worried that the girl who have been scared of Garrus, or terrified of being with someone, still trapped by her enslavement. She showed no signs so far, but he had a feeling it would come up for a while, little bits of old behavior that couldn't be so easily. He opened the fridge, poking around for a moment before sighing and closing it, grabbing a water bottle in the cupboard.

"At least they didn't eat out the entire apartment..." he lamented, taking a drink.

He looked over at the again, his smile growing. The more he looked upon how they twisted and wrapped around one another, the more he found himself wanting to laugh. It was ridiculous, and it befuddled him how it was comfortable. As much as it was a marvel, he would have to wake them up to get them to their actual bed. He made his way to the couch, gently poking both of them until she got Garrus to crack an eye.

"Okay, as much as I'm enjoying your amazing feat of moving your limbs to sleep on the couch, you have beds."

Garrus blinked a few times before he nodded, nudging the back of Shepard's head until he groaned and whined, pushing up against him in protest before opening her eyes, looking up at Bailey.

"Bedtime?"

"Bedtime, sweetie. Get your butt up and get back to bed."

He stepped back and watched Garrus and Shepard untangle, standing up with some difficulty until she leaned into Garrus. He walked her quietly with a nod to Bailey. The room he had was somewhat barren but it would work for now. She looked to his bed, but Garrus had other plans, opening his closet.

"I have a cot in here you can use until we get a new bed for you. It may take soem time because it can get expensive-"

"Can I sleep with you tonight?"

He looked back at her, giving his turian smile once again. He closed the closet and threw out his plan. She followed him to his bed, letting him get into his best position, seeing that he had fringe and spurs to account for. Once he looked to her, she joined him, quickly getting into a comfortable position alongside him. Blankets were moved and adjusted, pillows were swapped and eventually they had a comfortable sleeping position together.

He looked her over, the gentle lines of her face, the gentle rush of blush to her cheeks as she shifted her head on her pillow. Her hands resting against his carapace, her feet just gently touching his legs. Little movements and shifts that made muscles move, expressions made.

He could start to hear her breathing even out as sleep took her, and he didn't pause to do the same. They were safe in their new home.

"Goodnight, Katherine."


	5. Iki ga tomatte mo tanoshii tanoshii

_More slaves had rebelled in the dead of night, taking advantage of the master's observance of a batarian holiday. They broke out of their restraints, and attacked their masters, stealing weapons and meager tools, fighting for a freedom they would never see again from the moment they disobeyed. It took less then an hour for the masters to collect the rebellion, and ready for their execution the following morning. They had done this three other times since she joined the groups of slaves already there._

 _They liked it to be public, to persuade the other slaves never to break free, to think for themselves, to think that the masters were wrong in owning and hurting them. They sometimes made games out of it, pitting them against one another, granting amnesty to the last surviving slave. Like the Romans with their prisoners, they would hold them in arenas, be they real ones they were flown into to compete or makeshift ones were the grounds themselves were as dangerous as the fights themselves. They made a show out of it, recorded the carnage as men and woman tore themselves and others apart to survive or be executed._

 _This time they did not put an arena up, or schedule a time for the other slavers to round up their prey. They weren't going to give amnesty to these slaves, to these killers who sought to bring about an uprising against the masters who held their lives by the length of their chains._

 _They were lined up, single file, to face the crowd of masters with their slaves. She was near the front, as her master was one with prestige and rank among them. They were stripped of their clothing, laid bare before the crowd with their scars and brand new wounds after they were whipped and beaten for their rebellion. They bled onto the steel below their feet, their eyes filled with furious fire despite what would come to them._

 _"These ignorant slaves thought themselves as mighty as the masters," Zel, the slave warden, announced as he moved onstage, shooing the batarians already there to the sides, "And wrecked havoc upon your controlled lives. They selfishly took their chains off without permission, and attacked you all. They shot at your masters, your family. They did not care for their own kind."_

 _He walked across the steel stage, looking the rebels in the eyes, cold cruelty reflecting in his deep black eyes._

 _"These horrible humans will not be given any chances. They have not earned the right to fight for it. They threw away their rights the moment they agreed to their plan to rebel against us. I call upon you, masters and slaves alike, what do you say as their jury? Guilty or not guilty?"_

 _There was no such thing as a not guilty rebel. She rose her voice with her master, with the other masters and slaves. A horrible, booming rise of hundreds of voices calling out their brethren for trying to get back to life, to freedom. Her heart clenched, but she was a good slave unlike them._

 _"GUILTY!"_

 _Zel hummed happily. "And what is the punishment for guilty slaves?"_

 _"DEATH!"_

 _"And what is our favorite method, my precious family?"_

 _"EXECUTION!"_

 _The rebels, five brave, fearless humans, faced their coming deaths without a tear. Some of them flinched, some of them looked down at their feet, but they did not beg for their lives as others did. They knew when they were recaptured that it was the end. She watched in amazement as they awaited their executions with the faces of soldiers, firm and unyielding. They were going to die, but they left a powerful message. The masters didn't like their strength, and did they try to bring it down in the most gruesome forms they could bring out._

 _One was stabbed, sliced, disemboweled on the stage. Her face was firm even though she was stabbed again and again, only yielding a noise, a squeak, when they sliced open her stomach, slashing violently into her body until her intestines spilled out in a flood of blood, her stomach ripped from her body. They ripped her apart, the roar of the masters calling for her blood making her head spin. Fresh, bloody organs were thrown out into the crowd like prizes._

 _The others never flinched. They weren't going to yield and give the masters what they wanted._

 _She watched for what seemed like hours as the masters disemboweled, dismembered, raped, disfigured, hung, burned, broke, and murdered these five slaves without remorse, turning it into a morale booster for the masters, and an impossibly large warning to the slaves._

 _When she was allowed to speak, she asked for a bathroom. She puked into her toilet before relieving herself, and promptly vomiting once again._

* * *

Shepard work as she was moved gently, spotting Garrus slip out of the bed they had shared. She whined softly, his eyes coming to meet hers as he noticed her waking state.

"Sorry I woke you up. Bailey just messaged me, our higher ups want me there to give an in-person report."

"Am I going to be alone?"

He shook his head, moving the blanket back over her. "Not long. Bailey should be here in a few minutes. You should get some sleep, let yourself rest after all that's happened."

"When will you be back?"

Her eyes fluttered but she refused the allure of more rest. She eyes kept locked on his face, looking over every feature she could memorize. He was leaving for who knows how long, leaving her in an apartment under sheets that smelled like him. She didn't want to lose him, and she knew it was possible no matter where you were in the galaxy.

He picked up effortlessly on her distress, kneeling down and pushing her short hair out of her face, mandibles lightly fluttering. His touch, the somewhat rough skin of his fingers, it was a relief to feel. These hands had protected her from Cerberus, shielded her from danger, held her shaking shoulders as they walked, assured her fearful body and mind that all would be good now, and she would never be harmed by them ever again. She nudged her head into his touch, the fingers withdrawing for a moment before returning. His subvocals came out strong as he watched her affectionately accept his touch.

"I promise, Katherine. I'll come back as quickly as I can for you. Don't worry. Get some sleep for me, alright?"

She nodded, murmuring his name, admittedly sending shivers through him at the soft, nearly inaudible sigh of affection. "Alright. I'll sleep. You work."

"I'll see if I can also bring home something for you to eat."

"Yay~" she cheered softly before yawning, settling her head on her pillow, looking at Garrus with sleepy, warm eyes.

He gave her a turian smile before standing and waving her goodbye before closing the door behind him, taking a breath as he adjusted his armor for a moment before grabbing his key and moving out of the apartment toward C-Sec. All the while, he replayed that look she gave him, the soft and alluring sound of his name on her lips.

Shepard let her eyes slide close, sighing softly, twisting and turning before settling into a singular spot of comfort, her smile bright as she entered the comfort of sleep.

It had disappeared when Bailey came in to check up on her minutes later, and just as he came to her side, her tears fell.

* * *

 _Blood coated her right hip, the deep cut marks of her last loaner's hands still letting her precious crimson lifeblood drip onto the dirt-streaked ground. He was violent and assertive, and did not take kindly to her simple compliance. His hands were sweaty and dirty, but it did not stop him, taking his pleasure at her expense. She had been taken off her hanging wrought irons, and rubbed her sore throat. He hadn't spared any part of her body. The sickly taste burned her tongue, and made her stomach growl in protest to its entrance.  
_

 _She rubbed her sore wrists, gently touching the marks on her throat. His fingers had violently dug into her as he played with her and watched her cry out and panic in pain and rejected pleasure. Choking her kept her quiet when he wanted her quiet, dying there slowly at his hands until he finally decided to let go of her and continue elsewhere._

 _White along with red painted the stone below her wobbling knees, her shaking limbs. Her master came in and frowned at her state, barking at his assistants to take her to the showers and get her clean, patch her up. The flash of his odd kindness came as she was gathered by the two female batarians he had at his side, wincing as she was dressed enough to get to the showers without question or glance. Her master followed behind with diligence, leaving the cum and blood-stained room rot and fester for the next girl to use._

 _They were gentle in cutting her clothes off, washing the wounds left on her, careful of her hips and her teeth-marked breasts, washing away the loaner's scent off her body. Blood and cum rushed down the drain in a pink swirl with the gentle warm waters. She sighed softly as she leaned her head under the spray, relaxing as the warm and hot calmed her tight muscles._

 _"Pass a note onto Kel, Feri," she heard him say to one of the assistants, "she's not to be loaned out anymore to Dirahk, or anyone. If he wants a broken, scarred biotic woman, he'll reject my note of change."_

* * *

Shepard woke with her tears coming down harder, and two pairs of eyes worryingly looking to her. She reached out and immediately Garrus took her shaking hand, her sobs coming alive as she broke from her memories, her living nightmares, and sobbed in pain. Bailey ran a hand up and down her back, the boys letting her sob and cry out the pain and horror out of her body, as much as she could get out.

Fifteen minutes later, Shepard was curled up in Garrus' arms as they faced Bailey an another round of Skyllian Five. After her tears had somewhat dried, and she had some fruit and ice cream in her belly, she had settled, though it was obvious to her new family that whatever she had seen in her sleep was haunting her, harming her. Her fingers shook as she pointed out cards to her partner, helping him with his hand and his game.

The cards came down, Garrus finally winning a match, and Shepard let herself speak.

"It hurts... remembering everything. Remembering the long days, the countless wounds."

Bailey and Garrus exchanged a silent conversation before Garrus started to run a hand through her hair, helping her find stable ground as she spoke.

"They liked to play games... with the ones that tried to rebel. Pit them against each other, punish them publicly... execute them before the entire place and let them squirm. They loved the master's reactions when they decided to start disemboweling slaves. T-they... they would literally just throw organs just cut from people into the crowd like candy."

Garrus' harmonics couldn't hide his horror and disgust, but it showed every inch of worry he had for her, his arms tightening around her, and to which she answered by moving closer to him. Her tears had begun to fall once more, rubbing them with the back of her hand.

"They liked it best to throw it at the masters when they were still fresh, and working, and dripping in blood. They liked it when they landed on slaves, watching their horrified reactions. I won't lie... I had to catch my fair share of them so they didn't hit me in the face, or use my biotics to throw it back at them."

"Geez." Bailey remarked softly, "What the hell?"

She shook her head, stalling Garrus' efforts for only a moment before he returned.

"They used a lot of methods, when punishing or executing rebel slaves. Disembowelment was a favorite among the masters. Rape.. that was the favorite of the warden of the slaves."

Bailey made a disturbing sound, something in-between a choke and a rise of bile to his mouth. Garrus made an immediate distressed chirp before growling softly, holding her even closer, tighter, protecting her from the horrors of that four letter word. They knew that she had been subjected to it during her enslavement, or at least suspected it to high hell.

"That was always the worst to stand and watch. It was more horrifying to watch then the disembowelment and dismemberment. More haunting to listen to then strangulation and slitting their throats. Out of everything they did to deter us from rebelling, from stepping out of line, from being good slaves to the masters... watching them rape the girls until they were dead was the worst."

She closed her eyes, simply letting her tears roll down her flushed cheeks, trying to hide her shaking in Garrus' arms. Speaking on the unfathomable things that happened during her slavery was difficult and made her choke on the words, feeling like she was trying to talk clearly through a mouth full of cotton. She wiggled, realizing she barely fit into Garrus' lap, but found comfort regardless of the odd position, which was to help the turian to stay off his spurs.

"I was always a good slave... so I never got punished, at least once I got over the anger in me. I didn't rebel like them but... I fought back in the first three days. After day, I wised up and became the good little biotic girl..."

"Not anymore you're not." Bailey asserted, "The good little biotic girl is no more. There's only Katherine Shepard now."

"I know... but..."

Garrus reassured her once another tight squeeze. "We know it'll be hard to adjust back into normal life, Shepard. Don't worry, we'll be here to help you through everything."

"Thank you, Garrus. Thank you, Bailey."

* * *

 _The masters always made sure their marks on their slaves were bold and bright, never dulled or damaged. They went to great lengths to develop ink for their humans slaves that wouldn't harm them or make them ill, while also ensuring it would not fade easily. It was the equivalent of a permanent marker on skin; no matter what was done, it would not come out of human skin unless said slave had their entire skin replaced with new ones. Skin graphs wouldn't do much either, simply making it fade, but the masters re-inked immediately._

 _It had been over a year and a half, though she hadn't realized it at all. Time had no name, or meaning here, in the master's dens. Her master was having her tattoo retouched since her loaners liked to play with her back. He was gentle as he led her to the familiar chair, somewhat rusted, covered with torn up pillows. She laid on her chest, looking over her shoulder as he pulled down her top to get to her tattoo between her shoulder blades._

 _It had begun to chip and fade at the edges, as if beginning the process of ripping it off her skin. She relaxed, knowing the process wasn't at all painful. The process was slow but almost relaxing, the continued pinch of the nub pushing into her skin and muscles was relaxing her tight shoulders. She even sighed as he worked on, closing her eyes peacefully._

 _"You may speak in here, girl."_

 _She hesitated for a moment, clearing her throat for a moment. "Do most slaves scream during this?"_

 _"They do. Apparently, tattoos for humans are painful. You're an odd one. And I thought the biotics made you odd."_

 _"They both make me odd. Maybe I really am just that weird biotic girl."_

 _"Keep that oddness, biotic girl. It's keeping you alive for now. You're too valuable to break now. Just a little longer and we can get you moving on out."_

 _She couldn't tell if he was actually looking out for her, or if he was tired of her. Happy to know that soon he would be able to sell her and get rid of her. She couldn't figure out the meanings behind his words, and she knew she never would know. She rested her eyes as her master worked on her tattoo, taking in the little sleep she could before she was thrust back into the darkness outside the cold door._

* * *

It was later into the evening, as they brought out dessert and relaxed away a long day, that Shepard opened up on her tattoo, the mark of the slaver ring that held her for nearly two years. It was the only thing stronger then her memories that she could not erase. Memories would eventually fade into the dust of the past, but her slave tattoo could never be removed no matter how many credits she poured into ripping her back apart to remove it.

As she finished her ice cream, setting the bowl down, she looked toward the door, and then to her hands, before looking to Bailey and Garrus.

"I want to show you it. The tattoo."

Both men nodded, setting their bowls and cups down, their eyes on her as she took deep breaths as she turned her back to them. Her hands shook as they grabbed the edges of her shirt, debating whether or not to back down now that she had suggested it. She debated it, convincing herself it was safe to show it to them. She originally just wanted to pull it up enough to show them, but since she had changed clothes, these were much easier to remove, and so when she pulled up, it slipped off with the amount of force she used. She was left in her bra, but even with it on, it showed the shocking black tattoo sitting untouched and unmarred in the middle of her shoulder blades.

"I don't recognize it..." Bailey hummed, "there's got to be something connected to it. Maybe we could find out what ring took her."

"It's possible, but also dangerous." Garrus responded, "we don't want to make them think we're going after them, especially with one of their former slave. We can't put her at risk."

"Thank you." she returned to Garrus, pulling her loose shirt back on, "I'm not interested in getting back at them. At getting revenge. I just want to move on."

"Well if there's nothing on it, it could be dangerous to pinpoint who it was. It's haunting to look at though, no offense."

"It's okay. It's supposed to be haunting. They dealt with the Blue Suns too."

Bailey stiffened. "You're telling me that the Blue Suns actually deal with slave labor."

Shepard nods. "Right before I was moved to a different part of the facility they held me in, they were getting a high paying client. I found out later it was the Blue Suns. They bought a wide selection from them. Ten men, all with prior training or experience with weapons or with the Alliance, and several woman. Most of those woman were used for their purpose right on the spot."

"Disgusting. The Blue Suns were horrible enough, but knowing factions of them support the batarian slave trade..." Garrus made a disgusted noise, shaking his head, "To think some of own people join them makes me feel sick."

"Humans enslaving humans," Bailey said with a low rumble, his voice heavy and dark, "How fucking perfect. They probably put it on the books as 'purchased indentured servitude contracts'."

"I could tell you a million stories on the many clients that passed through. Buyers, loaners, masters... as much as it hurts to remember, it's fresh and vivid." Shepard explained, shaking her hair for a moment. "Many humans condemn the batarian slave trade, but humanity isn't without its horrible people, its wild cards. Humans came in too, most of them mercs or private companies looking to pay short for slaves so they could get cheap labor. A lot of big names, back door buyers, people hiding behind fake names, fake accounts, hidden companies..."

Rapidly moving eyes, painting the scenes before her in memories of people, of cash trades, of screaming girls and boys as they were dragged from cages to their new owners. Garrus rested a hand on her back, pulling her from the vivid interactions, her breath heavy as she closed her eyes and calmed down.

"Haribeck, Grenad, Liferious... Combine... there was one with the word Combine in its name. They bought slaves under the table, under obvious fake names. Hiding their slave labor under the pretense they were 'freeing' them, but they were to be miners."

"Elkoss Combine? They're a big company settled in the Terminus," Bailey explained, "Do you remember the dealer's fake name? Anything else? If Combine is supporting the slaver trade, it could be a big bust, and put them under a spotlight. It could get them kicked out of stores."

"Friedreich Kirra. Male, maybe about 30. Bought three slaves for nearly 20,000 credits, all were female. Bought them for the 'Combine' who needed cheap workers to help assemble test weapons and mine elements to help better build things. That's what I remember."

"Shepard, you may just help us break open another case. If you're alright with recounting what you heard to the Executor and convince him to open a case, you could help curb the underground trading of other slaves. I won't force you, but it is something you could do to help others."

"As much as I hate these memories... I don't want the others to suffer then any longer. I'll help."

"Alright. I'm going to find you some better clothes. Garrus, get us a meeting with Pallin and make sure to mention Shepard."

Shepard stood with a prideful smile as Bailey grabbed his credit chit and stood in the threshold of the open front door, grinning at Garrus and Shepard.

"We're going to help curb the slave trade."


	6. The mark of the biotic savior

Bailey knew bringing up such minimal evidence could be risky, and make both of them look like fools, but it was hard to deny it from a girl who sat as a slave in a cage for near two years. Years spent listening, observing, eavesdropping. It had to merit some truth from the Executor. He knew his chances were slim, especially if they were dealing with Pallin, a turian who didn't completely trust or like humans. He claimed it for political reasons, but Bailey always had a feeling it was deeper, especially with the First Contact War. He and Garrus mentally prepared for the scolding and lectures they would recieve if Shepard didn't convince him of the threat that was being brought upon the station.

He was caught off guard when the old turian looked almost horrified as Shepard, dressed in new dull blue civvies, told him what she knew and what she had heard.

"Are you sure it was Elkoss Combine mentioned?"

She nodded. "They kept calling it the Combine, but I'm certain it is. The person who made the transaction used the name Friedreich Kirra."

"That name sounds somewhat familiar. If we have companies here on the Citadel using slave labor, we can't allow it to continue. Bailey, I'm giving you and Vakarian permission to open this inquiry up, but silently. Knowing slavers, they'd want to keep it silent, so announcing a full blown investigation will get us nothing."

"Yes, sir!"

Pallin looked to Shepard once more, standing and offering his hand. "Thank you, Miss Shepard, for telling us this. I realize bringing up memories can be painful, but your help is greatly appreciated in keeping the Citadel and its people safe."

She looked more fearsome and complete then ever standing before the Executor, her tale spun around years of abuse and slavery believed by a powerful man. For that beautiful shining moment, Katherine Shepard was a proper human on her way to greatness, a girl in uniform, readying herself to join the Alliance and pursue a world of power. She took his hand, shaking it firmly.

"Of course, sir. It may hurt, but if it helps my former family from a continued life of slavery, I'll do whatever I must."

"Former family?"

"We may have never talked, but you spend a long enough time in silence bound in chains and cages, your eyes and your face are your ways of speaking. Friends and neighbors from my colony are still in chains, and now they're family. I won't leave them behind."

The Executor nodded, looking to Bailey and Garrus as she took her hand back. "I'm giving you this one because Miss Shepard here is comfortable with you enough to explain these events. Don't waste this opportunity. Give me results, and catch them red handed. I'll file the official paperwork and pass on your half so you can begin. You're technically going undercover, so be smart."

"Yes, sir!"

"And you, Miss Shepard..." he turned to the human, his subharmonics humming a curious noise. "Let's see what you can bring."

She saluted, the human way at least, her face a firm expression of power. "Yes, sir."

* * *

Their investigation began as silently as it was told to be, digging through information recorded by C-Sec, and comparing it to the databases of known aliases of criminals and crime bosses, trying to find the loose end or mistake to start the bigger trail toward pulling in reps from Elkoss to answer for the backdoor slavery. The precinct on Zakera Ward allowed them the space to look through it, digging through the deep archives and data they had collected over the years to make sure they were flagged if they were ever used in Citadel space. Tablets and pads were scattered around them as they split the work between them, digging as thoroughly as they could.

After three days, two pots of coffee, three breaks, and an intervention from some of the C-Sec officers to eat something and get some air, they were hitting the last remaining databases.

"I think I found it!" Shepard shouted, standing up. Bailey and Garrus looked up at her and moved over to her as she swiped through the info, pulling it up in a larger format.

"Friedreich Kirra is a very old alias used by various men and woman in the early days of the Citadel, but it was assumingly 'retired' after the last man to use it was caught after the end of his serial killings. The man who last used it also sold the rights to it to someone named Daren Telek. And after I did a quick search of the other database here, Daren Telek, now known as Daren Kirchen, is one of the noted managers for production of Elkoss weaponry with the fringes of Citadel Space. They also outsource a lot of production in the Terminus Systems but I know enough that the Citadel can't do anything about that."

"This is almost too sloppy," Bailey noted, "More likely then not, Kirchen sold the identity to another cohort to hide his illegal sales."

"If I can get a look at his face, I would be able to know if it was him or not."

"Getting the hard evidence on him, though, would be tougher. Do you know the girls he bought?"

Shepard shook her head. "No. Besides, most buyers and new masters give their slaves new names upon being traded over. It's difficult, though if we could see their backs, and see the tattoos, that would work."

"Assembly was one of the places they were put, right?"

She nodded again, looking over to Garrus as she passed along another datapad, moving some between Bailey and Garrus.

"Yes. If I'm correct, it was confirmed one would be moved to another planet for mining, and two would be moved to one of the assembly factories. He made sure they weren't to be put in the Terminus to ensure their 'safety'. So we could narrow it to here on the Citadel."

"The Factory Districts of each ward could give us answers, since we would have to locate the Elkoss Combine factories here on the Citadel." Garrus added on, smiling at Shepard as she flashed her own at him.

"So let's locate Elkoss' factories and sneak in to find the girls? We don't want to make it seem weird that we're asking to talk with some of their workers?"

Bailey hummed, typing something out quickly before opening up his omni tool. "We could actually call our visit official business. Some of us help the factories keep their standards up during patrols. We can ask our precinct to approve our visit to confirm the safety of their workers after we got an anonymous tip claiming their worker's rights and safety were being ignored and abused."

"Perfect cover up. We could get Pallin to approve the search, and we could submit the anonymous tip to ensure that if they do some digging, they won't find out it was a lie."

Shepard looked worried, confused even. "Isn't that... you know, illegal? Making a false claim of abuse?"

"It isn't if they're just buying slaves and 'freeing' them only to put them to work for nothing but a place to sleep and a little food." Bailey asserted. Shepard conceded with that logic quickly.

"So, back to Pallin before we get moving again?"

* * *

They eventually found an Elkoss factory a few wards out from Zakera, and easily routed their 'patrol' through with the local precinct, and off they were to the factory without so much as a hitch. They had gotten Shepard a new pair of clothes to disguise herself, fearing that she could be identified. She carefully followed them, trying not to look nervous, attempting and somehow succeeding to look powerful and attentive. A girl on a mission. She looked over the factory, trying to figure out how she could do this.

She would be sneaking in, trying to find her while they were doing sweeps of the facility, giving her updates as they did their 'jobs' in ensuring that the well being of their workers was kept. They were the distraction while she got the hard evidence, unless of course they were able to find her first. She broke off from them a while ago, climbing up through vents and pipes, as silent as an assassin, moving like a bird through the air. The factory lacked high tech security, and she easily slipped in through the vents, dropping out on top of pipes, gazing down at the workers as they moved items from conveyor to conveyor, assembling pieces of equipment, setting broken pieces aside. The clockwork of the main floor as machines wheezed and spat out parts, conveyors taking pieces and metals across miles of factory floors.

She dropped down another level using a ladder, scanning the faces, the worker's tired expressions. She spotted Bailey and Garrus, and moved forward, turning her omni tool on to film.

Her eyes scanned quickly, moving silently into the background, going through the lesser traveled routes, trying to spot the girl. She could vaguely hear voices, and moved in, gasping silently as she spotted her.

Her hair had grown just a smudge but she looked the same as she was when she was sold. Bruises lined her neck leading down to her shoulders, her jaw set so straight it looked glued shut. She moved down another level, watching, observing, keeping track. She was moving slowly, pushing a trolley loaded with boxes. She had a slight limp, a grimace on her face. A quick scan of her omni tool confirmed her suspicions that there were no cameras, and she silently moved closer.

Knowing the girl, and the history, the moment she dropped down she would be spotted, and she knew it and accepted it. Shepard dropped down and the girl turned to her, drawing a box cutter from her dirty work outfit until she saw the face, the scars visible on her neck, her wrists.

"Y-Your... you... from the..." the girl stuttered. Shepard's eyes watered immediately.

She remembered her, from the slaver camp.

"From the slaver compound."

"Get me out of here!" the girl gasped, her tears waterfalling, dropping the cutter. She was in hysterics, memories flooding, pain returning, "Are you here for free me?!"

She raised her omni tool, continuing to record and gather her evidence. "I am. I won't let these slavers keep you here. I'm working with C-Sec to get you free."

"Thank you," she sobbed into her hands, "Thank you so much!"

She hugged the crying slave, clutching her to her chest. No more slavery, no more sobbing for safety and freedom. She will get this girl free and get her a new home and a new start.

"Now, I'm recording this. Can you tell me your name, and your boss, or who you bought you?"

The girl calmed herself to speak, looking to the glowing omni tool.

"M-My name is... my name is Ferien DeFranco. T-The person who bought me i-is also my boss, Kieran Galloway. O-Oh! Wait I can... wait..."

She spun, going for the zipper of her uniform, pulling it down quickly, but enough that Shepard could see the black ink on her back. Pulling the dirty yellow suit back, the stark black tattoo of the slaver's ring symbol shone of her dirt-covered skin. She nodded and zipped her back up.

"I have to go now, so I can get this evidence out. I promise you, Ferien, you'll be free soon."

Ferien grabbed for her shoulders and pushed her into another tight hug, holding her like a child desperate for care from their mother. Shepard held her clsoe as she wished, gently hushing her cries, rubbing her back to help calm her shaking body. Ferien stepped back with a smile on her face.

"Thank you for finding me. For caring."

"We're family, Ferien. I won't let anyone own you again. My new.. my new stepdad and best friend will get you out."

Ferien nodded, happiness coming to weary features. She returned to her trolley, waving goodbye as Shepard once again disappeared with her evidence, looking for Garrus and Bailey. They were coming close to Ferien, and her. She paused in the shadows and watched as they talked with Ferien. She was afraid again, her eyes confused by the C-Sec presence. Her wrists were hidden, her scars on her neck just visible. Garrus saw them and asked, immediately drawing the voice of their staff member following them.

Ferien knew then who they were. The people the other slave girl had mentioned. She rolled up her sleeves as she started crying again, and it sealed Elkoss' fate. Shepard smiled and slipped out of the factory, meeting Garrus and Bailey out front as C-Sec shuttles came in. Ferien was between them, and the girl ran for Shepard and hugged her tightly.

"T-these are your new family members?" she asked.

"Yeah... yeah they are. You're free now, Ferien."

"Thank you so much."

* * *

Following the discovery of Ferien DeFranco, whose real name is Jean DeFranco Knightly, the Elkoss Combine company came under horrendous fire for participating in the act of buying and continuing slave work, as well as benefiting the largely disapproved and illegal act of supporting the slave trade in any form. C-Sec swept through the higher ranks of the company, and cut off the rotten roses from the bushes, ridding the company of much of its highest bosses. The CEO for the large Citadel branch resigned as the trials began for the workers who were found buying, selling, and using slave labor within the company, but the departed CEO was not without guilt, and ended up being brought up into the trials, after C-Sec discovered documents that they had also been participating in the slave trade, and had direct contact with the batarians who had come from Shepard's slave ring, conducting secret deals and purchases under false company names and fake names.

Bailey, Garrus, and Shepard were all present for the proceedings and trials, Shepard going up to testimony against the slavers and the company as she gave her account of what happened. Executor Pallin backed her claims, as it was impossible to verify her claims from the batarians. However, in a proud moment of bravery, Ferien came up and testified against her buyers, and her bosses, and how they treated her and used her.

The trials ended with guilty verdicts and heavy hits against the company, but this huge slavery scandal would hurt Elkoss for a long time.

Garrus and Bailey were praised and given accommodations for her amazing work on the case, but Shepard was also given honors. She was recognized for her bravery and power and ability to fight through her pain and fears to help others. She was recognized by the asari Councilor for her abilities and gave her a gift greater then anything possible.

Sponsorship to allow her to join C-Sec.

The trials and the proceedings and everything that happened after the investigation had finished took up weeks, but it was worth it for Shepard. She had freed slaves, and stopped people who continued to feed into the slave trade. She looked to the messages on her omni tool, smiling at them. Messages of thanks and stories of survival.

She was turning eighteen soon. She was a paragon for these people who had gone through similar things.

She glanced to the datapad on the table before her. Her official notice of sponsorship from Councilor Tevos to allow her the chance to join the Citadel Security Services. It also gave her a list of things she would need, things she would be provided, as well as tests and such that needed to be done. None were evasive and allowed Garrus and or Bailey to join her if she felt uncomfortable.

She had spend hours just looking at the datapad, wondering how it could have happened. Humans were finishing talks about getting an embassy, she learned, but did not have an official embassy or ambassador yet, so she was left with hoping that another ambassador or councilor would recognize her. She didn't expect the Councilors to do anything, and she hadn't even asked for sponsorship.

It was a good idea, a great thing she could do. Use her biotics, her knowledge, her skills earned through escape attempts, fighting, surviving, slavery... use everything she had to help the Citadel stay as great as it could be.

"Decided yet if you'll use it?"

She looked up from the datapad as Garrus came forward with a steaming bowl of food. Shepard happily took the warm bowl of pasta, taking a hearty bite into it before answering with some hesitation.

"Yeah. I mean, it's a really good idea, I just.. god, Garrus, I don't know if I could. I have... too many scars, open wounds... I just, I don't want to waste it.."

Garrus took a spot next to her, placing a hand on her knees as she curled up, sighing into her arms, looking into her lap.

"I don't want to disappoint people because I can't act normal. That I'm scarred forever."

"There's no shame in waiting, Katherine. We can talk with Councilor Tevos and see if she can hold the sponsorship for a time where you're better physically and mentally. After everything you've gone through, it's understandable that you need time."

Her smile at him was fleeting as it turned sour, and she hid her face once again.

"They don't know what its like... to be a slave. To be told you are nothing but an object. That your identity is worth nothing. They don't know what's it like to lose who they are, and be given a new identity as an item for sale."

Garrus' hand squeezed her knee as she slipped into herself, her eyes rising and revealing their far off look.

"They wouldn't understand how painful it is to be ripped out of yourself. Batarians stamping their marks on an empty shell, refilling the insides with a husk of a girl, and telling it to keep moving lethargic limbs. Kicking the doll into shape, while scarring its surface beyond repair. Demanding it to work with no pay, no food, no hope of safety. They will never know the pain of slavery under the masters."

"Katherine..."

Shepard shook her head, rubbing her eyes to stop the coming tears. She took a shaking breath before looking up at Garrus with a sad smile. It didn't convince him in the slightest, and she knew it. She uncurled, and crawled into his welcoming arms, resting herself against him as she let the pain in her chest fall out on the broken sobs she released. He looked down at her shaking form, letting her subvocals come free, trying to help calm her from this attack on her senses, on her still weak psyche. He kept her close through it all until he had noticed her form still.

She had cried herself to sleep.

He knew sleeping on the couch wouldn't work, and carefully gathered her into his arms. As he moved her to their room, he took a moment to realize just how thin she was compared to other humans of her age. How thin her arms were, just how light she was. He had to haul his fair share of drunken teenagers from bars before, and this... it was haunting to see the difference but to feel it put it all into perspective. Just how broken she was, how damaged. Just how far she had to go to get back into shape like her peers.

She looked like a starving eighteen year old. She felt like she was ten years old.

He ended up curled up next to her again, his protective tick returning as she squirmed in her restless sleep, hoping his presence would calm her as they settled in for a mid-day deluge.

As he drifted off, she stilled, and then shifted into him. Her smile returned as she rested close to her, her hands clinging to her carapace. He ever so lightly purred, pushing hair from her face with a gentle swipe of his fingers, watching her sleep calmly in his arms.

"I'll be here for you, Shepard. No matter what."


	7. Furenaide

Two months on the Citadel has done great things for Katherine Shepard. She focused on herself, on all aspects of herself that needed work, that she needed to help get healthier. She visited Jean frequently, the visits helping her accept the pains of the past and of the time under the masters, the two girls treating the visits more recently like a support group meetup for therapy. It was relaxing and helped both continue forward to brighter futures. Jean was going to be a pilot, she declared, and had already begun talks with Alliance recruiters about what she could do to help her get ready for flight school. Shepard was proud of her, but at the same time sad. Jean had found a way to move on, to get her life going after it being suspended for two years.

She still couldn't decide if she wanted to join C-Sec, or join the Alliance.

Two months of healing had passed, but some things stayed the same. She struggled to keep going, to move her bones and limbs as night terrors and flashbacks plagued her life, weeping her voice into silence as she recovered and learned how to be human again, how to act in public again. There was so much Bailey and Garrus could do for her, and she was left with a burden of a life burned into her skin and mind forever.

She stared at the recommendation from the asari councilor again, curled up in her favorite blue blanket. It technically was Garrus' but the gentle scent of the turian calmed her down, relaxed her. Speaking of said turian, he had pulled her into his arms to help her calm down after they had returned home. She set it down and relaxed into his arms, turning so she could look up him, a smile on her lips as a hand held onto his carapace.

"Thank you, Garrus."

He gave a sort of rumble back, her mandibles fluttering in his normal smile. More and more he would do this, speak more without words, the silent 'second voice' he carried speaking for him. She couldn't truly understand the words behind the sounds but she could interpret them almost perfectly. They were soft now, calming and loving. They had started to take a more attractive c tone, if she could call it that, in recent days, and she did nothing to stop it. She didn't know when things moved from brother and sister to something she couldn't name. It wasn't exactly the easiest slide into a relationship ever, but it wasn't exactly a friendship anymore. She had done her own research on turian courting and things, to make sure she didn't make mistakes with something like this if she was interpreting him correctly.

She closed her eyes for a moment, her biotics humming softly as his hands wrapped around her waist, fingers touching uncovered skin for a moment. His face came to gently nuzzle her neck, her head tilting to one side to give him more room. The quiet rumble of his subvocals sent chills down her back, relaxing her into his hands as she allowed him to touch her intimately.

"Katherine..."

"Garrus..."

He gently nipped at her neck, making her squirm softly. He chuckled softly before going back to nuzzling her neck and shoulder once more, knowing to go slow and gentle. She twisted gently, looking at him as she ran her hand over the left side of his face, drawing his dazed gaze to her own.

"Is it alright, Katherine?" his voice was low, almost husky, the two-toned syllables making it worse on her, "Is it okay if I do this?"

"You're... scenting me, right? Marking me with your scent?"

"Yes," he murmured, lowering his face and mouth plates to her shoulder again for a moment, "I.. I should have asked you if this was alright before I started to."

"Garrus... there's no one else in the galaxy that I would want in my life right now. You gave me my life, and have given me something I could never have."

"Something you couldn't have?"

She nodded. "I'll always be a used slave to some... but to you.. you don't care, do you, that I was... touched by batarians?"

"Kat... just because you were a slave doesn't make you any lesser. If anything, the lingering smell of those batarians makes me angry."

"Angry?"

"I'll make them pay for hurting someone as strong, and brave as you." he growled, "I won't let you feel any lesser because of your time as a slave."

She was speechless, caught off guard by his possessiveness, his need to protect her and everything she stood for. He wanted her to stand tall and he would do all he could to help her do so. Tears dripped down her cheeks on the sound of her soft sobs, drawing concerned eyes and a confused thrill. She shook her head, caressing his cheek once more, careful of his mandible fluttering underneath her palm.

"It's okay. Just hearing you say that... I know I've heard it before but... it makes me happy, knowing I won't be thrown out for what happened during that time."

Garrus grumbled something, his subvocals announcing his annoyance at such a thing. "You're still strong, and smart... and beautiful to me. No matter what, Katherine."

"It's only been two months, you know."

"Turians don't take long to find their mates if they're in the right place for long enough."

Shepard chuckled softly, though the laughter faded into a soft gasp as he nuzzled her neck again, her hand holding onto his face as carefully as she could.

"Is this okay, Katherine? Do you want this?" he asked again, his words soft in her ear, "When turians find their mate, they mate for life."

"I don't want a life without you... so yes. I want this." she spoke without hesitation, without concern.

He had given her everything, and through their time together discovered this turian was everything she needed, everything she wanted. Someone warm and close, who cared regardless of her past. Someone who fumbled and got caught up in their differences, but wasn't afraid to learn and understand. Someone who would be there to catch her if she fell, someone who knew the pain of carrying an unspeakable burden on their back.

He started to nuzzle again, another thought striking her mind. Her hand came to touch his forehead, stopping him before he could continue.

"What does this include, Garrus? What comes first?"

Heleaned back, ceasing his nuzzling, his subvocals gently humming to the beat of her heart as it pounded in her chest. His hands were quick to help calm her twitching muscles, locking her against his chest.

"Scenting first. It tells anyone with a sharp enough nose that you're claimed by me. It's the first step. Next is normally the bonding marks. Turians normally have all of this happen during sex, but I know it'll bring back bad memories right now. We can wait as long as you need for that part."

"Thinking so far ahead already, are we?" she teased, curling up against him.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable, or hurt you. We can make this work... right?"

He sounded uncertain, almost scared. It would be a rocky road with her scars and fears, but she knew deep down she could get past it all, but it would take time for the wounds to heal before testing them again. She held his hands, still tight against her skin, bringing one up to her lips, kissing the firm plates, the small patches of soft skin. The softest purr left his throat.

"We'll make it work, of course. I don't want to lose you. Even if it takes a while for else.. or we found ourselves comfortable without sex... I'll stay here no matter what."

"No matter what." he repeated, "I'll be here, and support you no matter what."

"And I'll do the same for my mate."

He gave a happy hum at the words, chuckling softly. "One day."

She nodded. "One day, but for now... scent me all you want, Garrus."

He didn't give her an answer, immediately dipping his head so he could nuzzle and mark her with his scent, nipping her skin gently ever so often. She melted in his touch, trust and affection burning their bound souls bright as he carefully caressed her arms, ensuring she was marked as a taken mate. Humans couldn't pick it up with their noses, but he knew any turian, salarian, and krogan would smell it immediately. He would mark her more permanently when the time was right. She was nothing but beautiful blush and smiles when he finished, turning in his grasp and bracing herself on his chest.

Her brilliant grey eyes locked onto his shining blue, lost in the emotions flying through them as she found peace in a turbulent time of recovery. Garrus leaned into her, and she closed her eyes. She remembered reading about this. Turians didn't kiss normally, instead doing it in a touch, an intimate show of affection done between family and those in relationships. She leaned in, her forehead resting against his as he gave a small gasp, almost unheard by her ears.

"Made you gasp." she breathed, chuckling ever so softly.

"It's... this is great. I was worried I was being too forward, or you didn't even feel the same way about me. I didn't want to pressure you into anything... and to know you feel the same... well, it's a ego booster."

"Ego boost? Because you did something no one ever could?"

"Perhaps."

She reaches up and gently holds his face in her hands, holding him there, their foreheads pressed together. Eyes closed in bliss, reveling in the amazing feeling of keeping him close and unlocking her heart with him. She needed the affection and protection, and while they wouldn't really change much, being in a closer relationship made her feel safer. It was simply a step toward a closer relationship and she felt better about this.

His hands moved up her back, holding her close to him, his subvocals humming and rising in volume, in a soft, constant purr. She nudged his forehead before settling again, opening her eyes.

"You get to tell Bailey."

"As long as you're around to keep him from killing me."

"Deal."

* * *

Bailey took the news with some bitter feelings, scolding Garrus at first as if the turian had been manipulating before Shepard walked in to the attack, immediately defending and nearly sending Bailey into a wall with her biotics in her flash rage. That alone convinced him that what was happening between them was real, never seeing Shepard so protective of something. Once she was able to convince her rather panicked newfound boyfriend that her adoptive father wasn't going to hurt him or kick him out of the apartment, things returned to normal for them. Garrus and Shepard inseparable in private as they went through the motions. They kept their relationship silent in pbulic as best as possible, but she knew everyone around her, at least turian and salarian wise, could smell her. Many in C-Sec looked happy at the revelation, and it wasn't long until the boys and girls found out that Garrus had found his partner for life in the powerful biotic girl.

She had to convince him to return to work once the news broke, and he had to hide to stop their jeering and constant questions. She helped greatly once they arrived back at their ward's main base of operations, not bothering then to hide her relationship.

She made her decision on April 11, four months after starting to date Garrus, on what to do. Her eighteenth birthday had come at last, celebrated with her adoptive father, her best friend turned boyfriend, her best friend Jean, and much of C-Sec, who had come to love having the girl around the offices after the months of her shadowing Bailey and Garrus. She celebrated at the ward's C-Sec main offices, cake and everything, and finally as the party hit its climax, and Executor Pallin arrived, she did as she decided.

"Not bad, Shepard. Something special happening?"

"My eighteenth, sir. They planned it, not me."

Pallin looked at all of them, some shuddering in fear of punishment but the once tight turian calmed, and the party continued to watch in building tension.

"So there's a reason you called for me, then?"

"Yes, sir."

She plucked the datapad she had stored on her side, and placed it in his hands, her eyes reflecting the same power and defiance she had shown him during the Elkoss investigation.

"Executor Pallin, if you would let me, on the recommendation of Councilor Tevos, I would like to join the Citadel Security Service."

The station went up in cheers, and chants. Much of it was filled with the harmonious subvocals of the majorly turian force here on the ward, but the cries of the few humans and the two asari on the force filled in the small gaps. Pallin held the pad for a moment, looking to the determined girl before him. She had this station's respect, was aware of the issues and hardships ahead. She had great potential and a proud background.

"Welcome to the force, Shepard."

Celebrations ensued as they welcomed their new officer, many passing around congratulations while also birthday congratulations were given. It was a dual party and one she would not ever forget now. She looked over her shoulder, spotting Garrus at last as he came back, turning her attention to him. Hoots and hollars answered their brief show of affection with a forehead touch.

"What took you so long?" She asked. Garrus gave that same low frequency hum of deep proportions that made her smile.

"Nothing you need to know."

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Sorry, but I've been told to keep quiet."

"Meanie." She pouted, crossing her arms, "Not even going to give me any sort of special treatment, are you?"

"Well..."

She side-eyed the lingering officers around as Garrus came forward and pulled her close, her face heating up as he lifted her face up to his with a hand. He voice was low and rolling, making her shiver.

"I have my first gift for you."

"Brave, aren't we?"

"Willing to take the burn of having this be watched."

"Go ahead, then."

The calls of their fellow coworkers started even as he leaned down into her, holding her by the small of her back, lifting her up when even on her tiptoes she couldn't reach him, and kissed her. Kissing was an odd feeling but nothing less any normal kiss. His 'lips' may not be soft, but it was fun to kiss him, just knowing that he would indulge her if she wished for a normal kiss. They had tried this once before, and it was, as he described, a little inter-species awkwardness thing, but now, it seemed he got the basics down, and showing his work off to not just the station, but his bosses.

Pallin didn't say a thing though, and if Bailey was right, he could almost see the bastard smile before he gave his leave. Bailey knew the paperwork would come within the hour. Garrus let Shepard back on the ground wit ha hand running through her hair. It had grown out a little more over the months, reaching well past her ears now.

"I think that'll work for a while." she giggled, happily leaning against his carapace.

"Well, I'm glad it was alright this time."

"Alright? Garrus, that was perfect. You did amazing."

Her praise brought such the barest of blue flush up his neck, making her smile as she stepped back and tried to calm the jeering crowd. She took one of Garrus' hands, drawing his eyes, and a happy flicker of his mandibles.

"Thank you so much, Garrus. For being here, for being with me... for everything."

"No need to thank me."

"I'm going to anyway."

Garrus shrugged, laughing for a moment. "If you say so."

* * *

April came and went, and with it did Shepard's introduction into the world of C-Sec, and its bothersome amount of rules. She was set in learning them and spent much of the first month on patrols around the ward, and learning and memorizing the rules, regulations, punishments, bonuses, and anything else she thought valuable in the line of duty. Garrus and Bailey were her best study guides and best help when it came to memorizing some of the more obscure and difficult rules and things she had to follow and be able to recite at a moment's notice. She worked hard, buried herself in her work, and pushed to show herself and others that she wasn't just some human woman with the leverage of a turian partner.

She was her own person, with her own power.

She set down her notepad with a sigh, running her hands over her face. She still struggled with a lot of different rules, especially the ones considering religion and its practices allowed in different areas. As she opened her eyes, she was met with the sight of Garrus bringing her dinner, which she happily accepted.

"You should take a break from that book, Shepard."

"I need to memorize it, so I don't mess up, Garrus. If I make one mistake... even with the other's support, Pallin won't accept failure and you know it. Why do you think Bailey's working long hours now?"

"And here I thought you have already proved yourself to Pallin." Garrus mused, biting into the ration bar he had taken as a snack.

"I don't know, but I can't disappoint him now that I'm under him. I don't want to fail, I _can't_ fail."

Garrus' warm hand fell on her shoulder, gently speaking and movign her from her notes. "You're not going to fail."

"I could."

"You won't," he quickly countered, "I know you second guess yourself, Shepard. You can do this without studying for hours after each shift."

"I..."

She was silent, staring at the open pages of the book (page two hundred and twenty five, paragraph four. The code on hanar rights to religion and the steps to ensure lawful preaching to the masses, the steps needed to obtain a permit for the hanar) and closing her eyes once more. She knew the book so well she knew where each coffee ring was (pages four, sixteen, thirty six, ninety five, one hundred and four, two hundred and three through two hundred and nine, and four hundred and sixty five), where each spot where Bailey had drooled after falling asleep studying were (pages one hundred, two hundred and fifteen, two hundred and ninety five and page three hundred and six), and where Bailey had folded page corners for the most important rules (pages ten through thirty, one hundred and six, two hundred through two hundred and ten, and page three hundred through four hundred, though those were clipped together).

This book was almost her religious text now, and she had devoted herself to making sure she had everything in this book memorized so she wouldn't miss a thing. The turians who created the C-Sec codes and regulations were nothing if thorough and detail-focused, even with the addition of the rules for humanity (pages three hundred through four hundred and sixty, to be precise).

"Do you know all of the rules?" she asked quietly, keeping her eyes on the book.

Garrus didn't answer immediately, looking to the open page before answering silently. "No, I don't. I know most of them. Some of them I don't think we'll ever use. No need to study things we won't ever use."

She stared down at the words, reading through the passage her eyes caught, before closing her eyes once again. There were many rules for odd, one-in-a-billion situations, rules and regulations for the wild possibilities that could happen.

"...did you know there are one hundred and thirty seven regulations that tell us that we can't go up to the top of the Presidium?"

He chuckled. "Now those, I'm well aware of. Don't think I'll ever forgot them."

She chuckled softly. There were a lot of little things that added up to that list.

"Two hundred and two regulations and rules that say you can't eat on top of the Presidium, but there's a rule that also renders that all dead."

"Oh?"

"In the human section, it says if for any reason one must have a safe place to eat and is danger of physical, mental or emotional pain from the other races, one could request to eat on top of the Presidium, as no one can access it and it would be safe."

"No way."

"Page 332, paragraph four, under section 'protection under harassment laws'."

She leaned back as he grabbed for the book, flipping through the pages and unclipping the human rules and regulations section, dragging a finger down the page as spotting the passage.

"The one time C-Sec slipped up, and it was with the human additions." Garrus chuckled, "That's amazing."

"There's a lot of little mistakes. It's funny."

Garrus took a moment, moving from the book and looking to Shepard, to the smile starting to move on her lips, to the exhausted eyes that carried a burden undue to her. She caught his eyes, the gentle blue warming her from the outside in, and softly blushed.

"If you can remember that, you have no worries about remembering these, Katherine."

She smiled fully as he closed the book, reclipping the section beforehand, and pulled his girlfriend up to his chest. Sighing peacefully, she curled up alongside him as they adjusted on the couch, cuddling up into him. The warmth of his chest pushed against her skin and her tired muscles, lulling her into a state of half-consciousness quickly. He gently moves his hand through her growing locks, letting out a gentle purr-like vocalization for her, a single instance he could let her listen to what he felt at that moment.

"Get some sleep. I'll get you up for our shifts."

* * *

Shepard found, with great surprise, that the next morning brought no work. They had scheduled too many officers and she was given a pardon for the day. She gave her goodbye to Garrus, who sadly had to work, and took the day to take care of herself. It had been a while since she simply explored and enjoyed her day, taking the time to pop into shops, look over different weapon mods (now that she owned a pistol), different snacks from around the galaxy, different outfits (even though a majority of them were asari fashions), and restaurants. Credit chit in hand, her C-Sec uniform switched out for similar pants, a firm pair of heeled boots, and a sleeveless shirt resembling a turtleneck expect in leather, she took her time and explored.

She was in no way ready to drink once the evening cycle approached, but she figured the food would be nice, ducking into a tucked away bar called the Nebulus. Bouncing music, mixing new electronic rifts and using old earth beats to remix them, it wasn't small inside, and had a decent crowd on the dancefloor. The bar was almost packed, and although she would look like a fool ordering food there, it was all she could get.

"You drinkin' alcohol, or going virgin with food?" her human bartender asked, his voice firm but not insulting.

"Virgin with food, please."

"Drink of choice?"

"If you can, a virgin mimosa. And something smothered in cheese for the food."

"You got it."

She leaned onto the bar, watching her bartender move toward the back, sighing softly. It felt odd being without Garrus in such a place, but she was alright. She had been scented, marked in a way, so she shouldn't run into trouble. She looked around for a moment, catching a few turian eyes, a few salarians. They could smell the scent of the turian who claimed her. She smiled before turning back to her returning bartender, her smile growing at the sight of the two virgin mimosas.

"Virgin marry mimosas. One's on the house."

"For what reason?"

"Turian that way 'bout it for ya'."

She looked over her shoulder, spotting the diamond in the rough. He had dirty orange markings on his plates, somewhat geometric but somewhat freeform. A small orange line ran up the plate covering his forehead, and curving lines marked the beginnings of his fringe. An odd marking, and one not normally seen. He caught her eyes, and for a moment she swore she could hear his subvocals calling out to her.

Was he stupid? Could he not smell Garrus on her?

She turned back to her drinks, taking a good swig of one before resting it between her fingers, debating whether or not to continue, or leave if this turian was going to buy her non alcoholic drinks all night. She knew Garrus would be working a late shift but this could get ridiculous quickly. The bartender gave her a look, and she raised her glass. She had at least some backup if need be.

Her food came, a beautiful pile of bar style human nachos, and she dug in happily, though out of the corner of her eye she could see that turian come toward her. She ignored him, slammed back her other virgin mimosa. He took the spot next to her as she called out for another virgin mimosa, taking another chip and plopping it in her mouth.

"I'm surprised you'd go out alone, girl."

"Excuse me?" she testily replied, looking to him. Up close now, he looked calm and relaxed, despite his words.

"Going around scented doesn't really do anything for you."

"It should give enough warning not to do anything, if you're a smart turian, that is."

He mockingly looked hurt, resting a hand on his chest, laughing lightly. She continued to eat, ignoring his eyes as they trailed over her. Her bartender returned with her drink, giving him a smile as he moved on. The turian moved closer, his hand on her shoulder.

"Hands off." she murmured, but his hand stayed. Her heart pounded in her chest.

"Unless he's around, you're fair game, girl."

"Hands off." she said firmly, but his hands continued to move, down her shoulder, caressing her skin, making her crawl inside herself.

Harassment laws, sexual assault laws. If he went any further, any closer, she could snap, she could run, she could do anything as long as he stopped touching her.

His hand grabbed her backend. Fight or flight, she always flew, but she would not let her claws stay sheathed now.

Her lips curled in a growl before she grabbed his hand, pulling him off the stool and twisting his arm back hard enough to make it pop and snap, drawing his cry of pain. Stools fell to the ground, her recent glass sent flying as she moved with the turian. The club look to her as she twisted his turian to his knees, her face full of unbridled anger as she pushed him to the ground.

"You just sexually harassed an off-duty C-Sec officer, you piece of shit." she full blown snarled at him, "Move anymore and I'm breaking your arm."

It looks no less then ten minutes for more officers to arrive, many watching, some recording on their omni-tools, as they gathered the whimpering offender off the ground, Shepard watching with a cold mask as he looked to her.

He smirked at her, her anger firing all pistons. She stepped forward to slap him, to hit that smirk off his face, but the hand on her shoulder stopped her in time as she raised her hand over her shoulder.

Garrus.

At the sight of the turian who had scented her, the drunk turian sobered and let C-Sec handle him. She rubbed her arms absently as Garrus held onto her shoulder, keeping her close, staring daggers at the random turian doomed from the start of his advances.

"What'd he do?" his voice was low, a dangerous rumble.

"Bought me a few virgin drinks at first, then got close. Ended when he grabbed my ass."

She had a hand on his face as he started to growl low, just as angered at the turian's attempts to take what he had finally claimed. She gently soothed him with her voice, her touch, making sure he kept composure as, she pointed out, he was still on the clock. He got it together, and let her step away, running her hands through her hair. She was shaking still.

"I never thought I'd see a human break a turian's arm so easily."

She turned to an unfamiliar C-Sec officer, a turian. His clan markings were white, very geometrical and clean.

"Captain Kiritus, Kithoi Ward."

She accepted his hand as he offered it, shaking it as best as she could. He looked to Garrus for a moment before looking back at her.

"So I actually broke it?"

"Either that or you got so close you can't tell the difference. Any idea how?"

"He grabbed me, and I decided to fight instead of fly. Guess I got angry enough."

"Right, the human 'fight or flight' instinct. Well, I don't know if you knew, but the turian that you caught is named Darrius Felarian. He's wanted in Kithoi for sexually harassing human and turian woman."

Shepard's eyes widened. She hadn't even realized, but she knew the name. The warrant for his arrest had come through a few days ago. How she didn't recognize him, she didn't know, but she listened quietly.

"You did my job for me, and I don't know whether to thank you or hate for you beating me and my men to the punch."

"I hope you won't hate me for accidentally acting as bait for your man, Captain."

Kiritus brushed it off. "Either way, you got him off the streets. I'll be sending the bonus your way. If you need anything, let me know. The southern tip is open to you."

"Thank you, Captain. Have a good night."

She followed officers out of the club, heaving a sigh as she turned and headed for home, Garrus close behind. She looked over to him, reaching out for his hand, and leaned into him as he took her digits in his.

"I'm going home, taking a scalding shower, and spending the rest of the night with you."

Garrus softly chuckled as she hailed for a transit cab, looking over to her.

"Make sure to scrub. His scent is still all over."

"Good to know. If I still smell like him after the shower, help me get it off. Then make sure yours is the only scent on me besides my own."

As they climbed into the cab, he leaned into her, Shepard moving quickly so he could easily nip at her shoulder, aiding in the new placement of his scent.

"I won't miss a spot this time."


	8. The fires of the past smolder kindly

Shepard stared down at the journal entry she had in started to write, the gentle pages of real paper still felt unreal and fake under sensitive fingers. It had been a gift, of course, as no one really used real paper anymore to write down things. It was a commodity very few could keep on hand and ever more rare for the common man. It was a surprise when Bailey walked in and handed her it, telling her to write down her thoughts. It was am miracle such paper still existed, but she would accept it no matter what.

Ink, paper... Mindoir was a haven for old Earth artifacts brought over by arriving colonists who sought more away from Earth. She didn't remember Earth well, never actually stepping on the planet in her life. Her parents were part of the First Contact Wars when she was born, and the first few years were spent in hiding with other family on Mindoir to ensure her safety while her mom and dad fought the turians. Of course, her mother seemed to see the usefulness of being their allies, even if she went against orders and the entire idea of this war. She never did learn why her mother had gone against orders to instead save non-human lives and try to form trust.

Perhaps her mother was smiling down on her now, seeing her baby girl not just working and trusting aliens, especially turians, but she was bonded to one now. Her fingers found purchase on her father's tags around her neck. Her smile softened, disappearing for a moment.

She never found her mother's tags.

 _"Katherine! What are you doing now?" her mother called out to the glowing blue girl in their grove of trees in the backyard._

 _The young girl giggled, moving from branch to branch like a monkey, the fruits hanging off their branches glowing the same blue as she passed them. For a moment, she looked afraid before leaping to the ground, hovering before making impact. With her touchdown, the fruits came falling, and she quickly moved to catch them in her basket she had readied. Her mother stood amazed, clapping at the amazing feat performed._

 _"Yes! After bruising sixteen, I got them!" she cheered, her mother coming up behind her and kissing her on the cheek._

 _"Look at my little biotic baby go. I'm proud of you."_

 _"I figured biotically pulling them was better then shooting them off."_

 _Her mother made a face. "Did Dad offer that advice?"_

 _"Yes, yes he did. I tried that once... well I learned after exploding one."_

 _Her mother sighed before rubbing her head, messing up her hair. "I'm going to kill him, I swear. Now come on, now that we have apples, we can start making desserts."_

 _"Yes! I call making an apple pie!"_

She hugged her journal to her chest, her smile bittersweet. She couldn't help the tears silently falling down her cheeks. Her mother was her role model, the person she hoped to be one day. She loved listening to her war stories, her feats of bravery and defeat, and how she grew not just as a person but as a member of the galactic community. Partaking in the First Contact war put her at odds with many turians, however the few who knew of what she had done in the war, the mission that doomed her to be slapped with a traitor sticker, were happy to see her. She had done something to save turian lives, surely. Something about her mother reaching out, hoping for peace with an enemy who wouldn't give them a chance made her happy. Things have widely changed since they made peace and joined the galactic community, even though the old animosity still lingered between those of older age, the veterans of the war.

Her hands grabbed for her dog tags, the last relic of her life before the horrors of slavery. Life on Mindoir, with her family. Mom, Dad, her sister Cera. The times on the farm, learning from her parent's military roots, training with her older sister to get ready for the world of military. The calm that was life in the colony.

She wondered what Mindoir looked like now.

These clinking tags felt like a vice, a rope around her neck ready to break her last gasps of air, the last mark from the past dyed in blood and assault, and yet it was the last thing holding her together, tying herself to her own body, keeping her grounded. She looked to her journal once again.

To think... she was romantically involved with Garrus.

 _"I just realized something, Garrus."_

 _The turian hummed curiously as they stared out at the busy shipyard, watching ships dock and leave, moving through the glittering space between the arms, graceful and loud as the sirens._

 _"We're acting like a bunch of lovesick teens. So adamant on showing affection in front of everyone..."_

 _"Is that a bad thing?"_

 _"No, it's... I guess it's just a little awkward, I guess. No one really acts like that, or maybe we're that desperate."_

 _Garrus paused, looking like he was actually thinking for a moment. He passed her her drink a few feet away, picking his up with a silent click of his talons on the glass bottle._

 _"We did change weirdly quick when you said yes to my proposition."_

 _"That's what I noticed too... think we let it go a little too far."_

 _"Now that you do mention it... we did take it a little to the extreme. What can I say, it's not everyday you figure out the person you want to be with for the rest of your life was someone you could have lost."_

 _"Garrus..."_

 _"It's been a thought," he explained softly, his eyes turning to the ships, "that if I hadn't looked at you, if I didn't follow you... I would have lost you. We would have lost a lot. It's feels weird to think of what would have happened if things changed... it's also terrifying."_

 _"Hey.."_

 _She curled up into his side, feeling his carapace and chest rumble softly as he seemed to star purring._

 _"You got me. Don't scare yourself."_

 _"It comes around ever so often."_

 _"I understand. If you need anything to help... I got you."_

 _They were silent for a moment before Shepard spoke up, taking another sip of her drink._

 _"Take it easy now?"_

 _"Now by taking it easy, you mean..."_

 _"Take it easy. Kinda like how we were before we decided to start dating."_

 _"No problem, then."_

She sighed happily, clutching the pad to her chest. The days she's had with Garrus were her happiest. She couldn't believe that they had simply slipped into a romance so easily. From saviors to friends to romantic partners, they had an amazing run together and it was still in progress. She couldn't go farther, still holding onto pains and memories, the scars keeping her from ever approaching sex, but Garrus was accepting and accommodating. He understood that she wouldn't be able to do things of that nature until she was ready, and she couldn't appreciate his understanding more.

The Citadel was entirely welcoming, even if people stared at her and Garrus when they went out. Human and Turian relationships, while not taboo anymore, were highly uncommon. She didn't mind the people's looks, because she was happy. She had a turian boyfriend, and a blooming career at C-Sec. The people of Zakera knew her now as the kind biotic girl, a C-Sec officer who had faced horror and come out alive and smiling, even if sometimes her smile couldn't stay. She helped the community and kept it safe, went out of her way to help the 'duct rats' of the station, children afraid of the foster care system or unable to join the few orphanages due to being tied to abusive parents or simply being unable to join them due to other circumstances.

A few flipped pages, a happy smile.

 _Children from around the local section of the wards came to the C-Sec Academy once again for the monthly showing of C-Sec power and pride, most coming for a single girl on the squad. A human biotic from the colonies, a survivor of the batarian slave trade. It was the celebration of C-Sec excellence, and all of their work to keep the Citadel safe. They would host the children and show them an inside look into how an officer was trained, and how things ran smoothly._

 _It came time for the training rooms, and many ran in front of their instructor to gaze upon the woman they had hoped to see and meet that day. Beyond the glass were several officers, encircling and watching a match between two combatants, training officers looking to sharpen their skills._

 _They gazed upon Shepard and Garrus as they rounded one another, preparing for another sparring match. One they knew Garrus would win physically, but from the gentle shimmer of blue, they knew she would win instantly with biotics. He didn't seem to catch it, charging immediately. The surrounding officers broke away with grins as Shepard let her biotics flare, capturing the turian in its wild spiral, sending him to the mats with a gasp._

 _"Cheater!"_

 _Shepard chuckled, "Do you want me to throw you up into the air and hit the ground harder or down simply into the ground?"_

 _"This is supposed to be hand to hand fighting!"_

 _"We never said no biotics. Also, everyone else was in on it."_

 _"I can see that." he growled softly, "you still cheated."_

 _"And you call yourself an officer, Garrus. Gotta be prepared for anything out there!"_

 _He grumbled, but sat up now that the pain of the embarrassing loss settled into him. His eyes came to the children watching through the glass and groaned, drawing Shepard's eyes then. The tour group jumped and clapped for the girl, making the mint officer to blush._

 _The children were allowed in as the officers moved away the more dangerous equipment, all asking Shepard is she could lift them with biotics, wanting to see her do something cool for them, as she had done the year previous. Chuckling, she let her harmless blue fire burn around her hands, gently stretching them to one of the children, lifting her a few inches off the ground, drawing the cheers of her peers._

 _This was a moment of peace, something many of the officers never truly saw on her face. They knew she was haunted by the ghosts of her past, of the pain and marks on her skin never to be removed. She would smile, but many would only see the cracks beyond the mask._

 _This one instance, showing kids what it was like to float with biotics... she never looked more peaceful and beautiful then in a moment where the past didn't exist, and all there was for her was the future._

"Shepard! We got a call from Kithoi Ward!"

She smiled, setting down her aged journal, grabbing her gun and shoving it into one of her holsters, checking her knives for a moment as she rushed out, throwing back her ponytail as she met Garrus out of the door, the two of them rushing out of their apartment and toward their called hovercar.

 _"This is Captain Kiritus. I need any Special Response officers to respond!"_

"This is SR Staff Lieutenant Shepard, Zakera Ward. I'm en route with Officer Zakarian. What am I looking for?"

 _"Shepard, thank goodness. You're looking for a black and yellow skycar. There's two armed men inside, along with one hostage, an Asari named Filera. I need you to get her out of the car, and get those goons out of my sky."_

"Yes, sir!"

She set her alarm off, racing the skycar as quickly as she could through the airs of the Citadel, seeing the speeding car, her target, as they neared the border of Zakera and Kithoi. Garrus steered the car into position, and as the car raced passed, she pushed her door open, and aimed her sniper at the back fo the cab. Trigger down, the bullets flew, sending the car reeling. Garrus sped off as Shepard hung out of the door, aiming for the shuttle as she attempted to ground it safety. Another shot, a scream from within the car. She hissed and aimed again, watching the buildings around her for a moment.

A shot rang out and the car careened toward an empty platform, landing roughly before hitting a sign. Garrus shouted for assistance to secure the area as she jumped out, securing her sniper and pulling out her pistol, approaching the down skycar gun raised.

"C-Sec! Open the doors and step out of the car now!"

The door busted open as the Asari stumbled out, grabbed by one of the human men, slamming a gun into the back of her head. The other man, a turian, stepped out, pointing his gun at her.

"We stepped out. Now, gun down or her brains are hitting your pretty shoes." the turian growled, "Now!"

Shepard held her form, looking to the trembling asari and to her assailants. They wouldn't cooperate, or negotiate. She lowered her gun, earning a cruel chuckle from the human man.

"Smart girl. Now, give us your toy gun, and we'll be leaving kindly."

"Sorry, sweetie," Shepard bitterly hissed at him, the broken pieces of the platform glowing softly, "but that's not happening."

She snapped her arms out and back into her body as the pieces flew, the asari sending up a barrier around her as the man tried to fire his gun, only hitting a barrier as it ricocheted off and hit his shoulder, the flying shards of metal hitting the turian and man, sending them screaming to the ground. Filera rushed to her as backup arrived, holding onto her shirt. Setting her safety back on, she tried her best to soothe the weeping asari as fellow officers came to collect the groaning bodies of the men, Garrus coming up quickly alongside Kiritus.

"Are you alright?" Garrus demanded, as Kiritus slowed his pace.

Shepard panted softly, looking to Filera as she stopped her sobbing, brushing her tears away as she stepped out of the girl's embrace. Shepard brushed some of her tears away, happy to see her unharmed.

"I'm alright, and so is Filera. Did I nick you when I was shooting at the car, ma'am?"

Filera shooked her head. "No. Y-you were close that one time, but no."

"Hell of a show, Shepard," Kiritus commented, looking to Filera, "I'm glad you're safe, Ms. T'Hera. We hadn't expected hired arms to find you."

"At least you have good people to help me after my kidnapping, Mr. Hartaeus. Thank you so much."

Shepard nodded, happy to help. "Of course, Ms. T'Hera."

* * *

It took nearly two years for Shepard to move through the ranks of C-Sec, joining the Special Response Division, as well as keeping a hand in the Investigations. Garrus joined in earlier then her, by almost five months, but she didn't care. They were 'partners' on the force, more in the professional sense then their real relationship outside of work.

Back at her division, she stretched in their large break room. She glanced at her omni tool as it flashed, notifying her of a transfer of credits to her account. A bonus in aiding in the recovery of Filera T'Hera, a prominent merchant as well as a powerful figure in the omni toll business. Men who considered her a threat for possibly taking backroom money had targeted her falsely, as it was later found out her assistant was stealing from her, a salarian named Fedor. She glanced at her calendar.

March 14th, 2176. It didn't feel like she had spent so long here on the Citadel, but it was the truth.

And it made her smile.

Grabbing a bottle of water, she left the station with little fanfare, deciding to walk home instead, diving into a store to pick up additional meals for Garrus, her, and Bailey. Walking with a steady gait, and a formidable aura, she moved through the station confidently. People smiled and nodded toward her, recognizing her. It didn't take long to return to her home, though the elevators being packed in tight wasn't a fun experience. The door opened to the sight of Bailey flopping on the couch, exhausted. She set down a bottle before him, as well as a meal.

"I brought home food." she called out.

Garrus came out a few moments later, toweling off water from his body, a towel wrapped around his waist. She smiled gently at his arrival, kissing a mandible as he gently nuzzled her face, taking the offered meal in one hand.

"You didn't need to, Shepard." Bailey told her, sitting up to look at the meal, "and this fancy, damn. What spurred this on?"

She grinned. "Bonus."

Bailey grinned back, raising his glass to her. "Love you, sweetie."

"You're welcome, Dad. Now, eat up. I also brought home sweets."

Garrus chuckled, "You only just got paid, Katherine..."

"Relax, relax. I got enough. You got a bonus too, right?"

"Of course."

Shepard stepped around him, throwing her meal into the microwave, smiling at her two men before relaxing against the counter, waiting for her meal to heat up slowly. Garrus and Bailey always ate the cold meals, and watched them dig in as they turned on their screen, settling into the couch, leaving a spot on the separate couch for her. She hopped over and settled in with her meal as the Alliance symbol flashed on screen, the large font spelling 'URGENT NEWS' making her sit up.

 _"This is an emergency broadcast to all subscribers to the Systems Alliance Newsnet and humans of the Systems Alliance. Reports are coming in that the colony of Elysium has been attacked by a coordinated band of mercenaries and pirates in what many are calling the worst assault on local colonies following the raids on Mindoir. Alliance ships are in bound but the planet is now in lockdown, surrounded by enemy forces determined to take the planet for themselves._

 _"This channel will be updated as soon as soon as we get more information. If you believe in such things, pray for the lives on Elysium, and their survival of this horrible attack."_

"Dear god..." Bailey whispered, watching the images coming in. Shepard shuddered, knowing what those people were going through then. This was a horrible tragedy for humanity, another colony hit.

The channel faded away once again, leaving the nightly news reel to run. It was silent in the apartment until Shepard broke the silence.

"To Elysium."

Bailey raised his cup. "To Elysium."

Garrus lifted his cup as well, giving a nod to the human's colony. "To Elysium."


	9. A step toward a new door

It was the gentlest of shifts in the way the air smelled that alerted her that Garrus was close. She smiled gently, knowingly, and set down her now finished paperwork as his talons touched her shoulder, spinning her in her chair until somewhat softish plates connected with her lips. She happily kissed him, humming softly as she drew away, caressing a mandible with a fingertip, earning a happy purr from him.

"Come to steal me away from my office?"

"If I could. You've been working nonstop for the last few days."

"With reason," she defended, just the tad bit reserved, "I like to work."

"You hate paperwork, don't you? Especially if it keeps you here."

She was at a loss for a moment, clearing her throat for a moment before shaking her head. He was worried about her and for good reason. She had been working as much as possible, completely consumed by her work seemingly. She hid the reason for such a passionate streak of work well, but she knew she was worrying her family, and her boyfriend. She sighed softly, gently touching his mouth plates, her eyes downcast. The hauntings of her past made it difficult to do anything recently, and she only knew a few ways to drown out the pain in her mind, the horrifying ache in her body as memories played back on her skin.

"They're coming back." Her voice was a whisper, but she knew he would pick up on it, on the warbling of her weak voice. "I don't want to think."

"Katherine..."

"It helps. It really does. There hasn't been much happening for Special Response agents to be used. So I'm filing orders, helping get captains around the ward their orders, things like that. It's keeping my mind busy. I don't need to think when I'm working like this."

Garrus wasn't budging to her half-baked attempt to explain why she was drowning herself in paperwork. She rested her head on her desk for a moment before Garrus took her up onto her feet, nuzzling her head gently, pressing his lip plates to her forehead.

"Come on. Let's go home. I'll help you."

She couldn't find her voice to say thank you, simply nodding mutely before letting him lead her away. She didn't have the heart to look to her colleagues, who smiled in pity and understanding. They probably gave Garrus the news that she had been always there in her office, working, filing, doing anything to stop her thoughts from coming alive. Even with Garrus right there, his hands just skirting over her skin, she couldn't stop her thoughts from opening up wide like a thresher maw. She had found a way to hide her emotions when she had flashbacks, cover herself if she started having an attack during he middle of the day. She was stone when they hit her, quietly sinking in the seat of the skycar as Garrus took her home.

The apartment was open as she let herself in, beginning to unclip her belt before his hands met hers.

"Let me."

Her hands moved slowly as he undid the buckle and set the heavy utility belt on the table, pistol and all. Her limbs were heavier then steel as she moved, taking a single step before turning and burying her face into Garrus' carapace, her tears falling from their perches. His hands didn't hesitate to hold her close, his subharmonics trying to tell her it would be alright even as she shook in what he could almost call terror. It had been a long time since the last big breakdown, at least a few months, and it was always hard to watch her suffer from the past.

"I hate this," she sobbed, her voice shuddering, "I hate it so much."

He gently ran his hands through her fingers, vocalizing for her so she could find some peace in the rumble of his subvocals. Even now, as a grown woman and decorated C-Sec officer, she was a child stuck in the bloody cages, touched and violated by her master. She would never be free of the pain, as much as he wished he could help her better. Her fingers dug into his sides, clinging to him as the worst of the pain and emotions flowed.

"Make the pain go away..."

"I will."

He knew they had the apartment to themselves for the day because Bailey was temporarily transferred to another ward due to the lack of coverage, so they would have no issue doing whatever anywhere in the apartment, however he knew privacy was sacred so they moved into their bedroom.

She curled up into him as they rest in their bed, silently watching vids together to get her mind off of the storm raging within. It allowed for some relief, but the imprinted pain continued to burn in her chest, a constant mark burning into her without remorse. Eventually she twisted around in his arms and rested her cheek against his carapace, pausing there. Garrus adjusted for her, his hand carefully holding her at the small of her back.

"Not helping much?"

She shook her head, looking up at him with pathetic eyes she couldn't stop. She was a grown woman, or at least the very beginnings of one, and she couldn't even get passed something like this. The world around her, the past she clung to, told her she had to be stronger, and she could barely do anything anymore without her memories haunting her. The vid turned off with a tap of his talon, drawing her close. He could easily see she was thinking, brow knitting together for a moment.

"Garrus?"

"Hm?"

She moved herself once again, pulling herself against him, almost moving up to meet him face to face.

"I think I know how to make it stop hurting for now."

He was patient, nodding so she could explain what she hoped would be the answer to stopping her pain. She leaned in and kissed him softly, moving as she closed her eyes, watching his shut until she rested in his lap, draped across his chest, gently holding onto one side of his face. His hand hesitated to hold her waist, questioning what she was doing until it hit him.

Was she trying to convince herself to go another step?

"I want you to show me..."

He almost lost his breath then, staring into weak and fierce eyes as she shook off her fear, the years of abuse clinging to her. She knew she wouldn't ever be able to stop the pain, but she could find ways to accept it and grow off of it instead of letting it hurt her. She had been scarred for life, but she couldn't let it change her completely. She wanted to live and continue to explore. She wanted to start healing and making new memories.

"I think I can do it now."

"Are you sure?" he asked, moving falling tendrils of her hair out of her face, "I don't want to hurt you, and I don't want you to force yourself to do this."

She nods again, taking a deep breath. She was about to take a leap she had been fearing for a long time and she had no idea what awaited on the other side. It was a leap of faith she knew would be taken eventually. She didn't fear it entirely, however, because he was there for her. He would catch her and help her up if this jump failed. He would be there to catch her if it succeeded. He would always be there for her.

"I want to try."

"Alright, but don't hesitate to tell me if I'm crossing a line or if you're uncomfortable or in pain, okay?"

"I'll let you know."

Her smile seemed to melt his fears, smiling back at her as he rested his other hand on her waist. She was going to try this now, so she could beat the demons whispering in her ear that she would be nothing but a batarian's sex toy for the rest of her life. She had a semblance of what sex should actually be, but it was weak and it made her feel like she was sixteen again and asking her mom about it. She didn't know if Garrus had the same dilemma.

"W-what should we do first?" she sheepishly asked, making Garrus laugh softly before sitting them both up.

"Getting out of our clothes should be first."

Undressing and baring her scars for him to see. She nervously looked to her hands and then to him, begging with her eyes for him to go first. The look was all he needed before he gently moved her so he could undo the fasteners of his tunic. She marveled at the array of silver plates revealed, curious as to how he was shaped. Turians were made up of hard plates and hard muscles, a trait gained to protect themselves from Palaven's radiation issue. A ridge ran up his chest vertically, marking where his carapace began. It ended eventually to the opening in his cowl that wrapped around his neck. Hard corded muscle hid under impressive but thin plates along his shoulders, his arms covered in the same dusty silver plates that revealed his unguarded light brown skin.

"Enjoying the show?"

His voice drew her eyes to his face, blushing softly as he hands reached out to touch. He peeled away the rest of his tunic and set it aside, watching her hands touch and move across his carapace, tracing the sharp plates up his chest. There was no need to rush, or quickly get into the heat of things. This was a moment of exploration and new leaps, and he would give her as much time as she needed to get comfortable and ready.

It was a night of explorations for both of them.

"You're a lot thinner then I thought. Maybe you should stay out of your armor more often."

"It's a _uniform_ , for your information." Garrus corrected, watching her fingers move to his cowl.

"It's armor."

Garrus chuckled softly, "If you say so, Katherine."

He went silent as her fingers traced up his cowl, skipping over parts before dipping down to his neck. She traced a line of muscles up his neck, earning a soft purr as she explored and traced his neck. She giggled softly, drawing his eyes just before they had closed in comfort.

"Looks like a bird, purrs like a cat."

He arched a brow plate. "I'm assuming that's a good thing?"

She paused her fingers, resting them on both sides of his neck before gently kissing his lips. "It's amusing and good. I'll explain what a cat is later."

"What is it with humans comparing us to animals? Are we that close to animals you're used to?"

Shepard hummed curiously for a moment. "Well you have some traits we recognize in animals. Your carapace, your mandibles, and your fringe are good examples."

"Interesting," Garrus murmured.

She chuckled softly, moving her hands again and gently moving across his skin and muscles. Her fingers move toward the back of his head, the place cloaked in the shadow of his fringe. She could feel Garrus stiffen for a moment, his mandibles moving for a moment in an odd fashion. She was curious by the skip in his calm and continued to see what she had found. Her fingers ghosted over softer skin then she had felt before, and gently pressed her fingertips against it.

The reaction is near instantaneous. Garrus makes a thrill noise before groaning softly. The softest of blue started to roll through his neck. She drew her fingers away, concerned of what she had just touched, but Garrus' hands grabbed her wrists gently before she could withdraw completely in fear.

"I-It's okay. That's one of our most sensitive spots. It's, ah, rather nice to feel."

"Oh." she paused, surprised that it was something of an erogenous zone. She blushed after a moment. "So it felt good?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course."

She smiled proudly. "Okay so I'll remember that for later."

"Don't abuse it." he softly growled, making her gap for a moment before smirking and leaning in to his face, her fingers teasing the skin just around the soft hide under his fringe.

"What will you do if I do?"

He grinned, flashing his teeth as he did. "Punishment will come when I think you can take it."

She smiled softly, warm enough to break the teasing air and make him pause just to watch her light up in happiness. She poked his nose, sitting up so she was above him, straddling him.

"So I get off without punishment, then."

"For now," he murmured, his subvocals making it come out deeper then normal, "It's just you and me and a hopefully glorious night of figuring eachother's alien bodies out."

She laughed again, gently kissing the side of his face, his mandible fluttering out to meet her gentle lips.

"We're going to mess up a lot, I think."

"Interspecies awkwardness thing, then? Nothing amazing and romantic like old human novels?"

She made a confused face. "Since when do _you_ read old human literature?"

He smirked, "I don't. I just know from a lot of gossiping asari that your people had a huge tendency to make a first time look like a porn vid."

"I don't think we'll get anywhere close to stuff like that tonight, Garrus."

"That's a relief." he sighed, making Shepard laugh again before she silenced his chuckle with her lips, her hands travelling once again.

Moving down his chest, and moving back up, pausing at the opening of his carapace. Her warm hands moving across him brought out another gentle purr, a reumble through his chest that he hoped she could feel. Her smile gave him his answer. She looked up at him with half-lidded eyes.

"I.. think it's about time we moved a little lower."


End file.
